SSL/TLS

Security protocols that encrypt communications over networks

Protocols

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are cryptographic protocols designed to provide secure communication over networks, most commonly the internet. SSL was originally developed by Netscape in the 1990s, with SSL 3.0 being the last version before TLS took over. TLS 1.0, released in 1999, was based on SSL 3.0 but with security improvements. The current versions in use are TLS 1.2 (2008) and TLS 1.3 (2018), with older versions being deprecated due to security vulnerabilities. Despite TLS being the current standard, the terms SSL and SSL/TLS are still commonly used interchangeably in the industry. These protocols provide three main security services: encryption (confidentiality) to prevent eavesdropping, authentication to verify the identity of communicating parties, and integrity to detect tampering with transmitted data. TLS operates between the application layer and transport layer, making it transparent to applications while securing the underlying network communication. Modern TLS implementations support various cryptographic algorithms and provide features like Perfect Forward Secrecy, which ensures that past communications remain secure even if long-term keys are compromised.

Broken SSL/TLS setup often appears as ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.

Where You'll See This Term

This term commonly appears in:

  • SSL certificate details pages
  • Certificate Authority validation processes
  • SSL configuration documentation
  • Security audit reports
  • Certificate management interfaces

Related SSL Terms

TLS (Transport Layer Security)

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the modern cryptographic protocol that replaced SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to provide secure communication over computer networks. Developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), TLS is the current standard for encrypting data transmitted between web browsers and servers, ensuring privacy, data integrity, and authentication for internet communications.

Protocols

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a cryptographic protocol originally developed by Netscape in the 1990s to provide secure communication over computer networks, particularly the internet. Although SSL has been superseded by TLS (Transport Layer Security), the term ''SSL'' is still commonly used to refer to both SSL and TLS protocols, and SSL certificates are universally called ''SSL certificates'' even when they actually use TLS.

Protocols

SNI (Server Name Indication)

Allows multiple websites with different SSL certificates to share the same server address, like having multiple businesses operate from the same building.

Protocols

TLS Handshake

The process of establishing a secure connection between client and server

Protocols

HTTPS

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, which is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol browsers use to load web pages. When you visit a website over HTTPS, the data exchanged between your browser and the server is encrypted. This encryption protects sensitive information, like passwords, credit card numbers, and personal details, from being intercepted or altered by unauthorized parties.

Protocols

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