Tls

Overview SSL and TLS are cryptographic protocols that secure data in transit between clients and servers, but SSL is the deprecated predecessor while TLS is its actively maintained successor. Every SSL version is now broken or prohibited, yet the term “SSL” persists in everyday usage even though modern connections actually negotiate TLS. Comparison Diagram SSLTLSSSL 2.0 (1995)broken by DROWNSSL 3.0 (1996)broken by POODLEall versions prohibitedTLS 1.0 (1999)TLS 1.1 (2006)TLS 1.2 (2008)widely deployedTLS 1.3 (2018)current standardtime →deprecated / prohibitedactively maintained Comparison Table Aspect SSL TLS Origin Developed by Netscape starting in 1995 Standardized by the IETF in 1999 as SSL’s successor Versions released SSL 2.0, SSL 3.0 (SSL 1.0 never shipped) TLS 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Handshake process Full handshake only, with weaker key exchange options Streamlined handshake; TLS 1.3 cuts a round trip and defaults to forward secrecy Cipher suite support Permits weak ciphers like RC4, DES, and export-grade crypto Mandates modern AEAD ciphers (AES-GCM, ChaCha20-Poly1305); weak ciphers dropped entirely in 1.3 Known vulnerabilities POODLE broke SSL 3.0; DROWN broke SSL 2.0 BEAST and CRIME hit early TLS 1.0 but were patched in later versions Current status All versions formally deprecated and prohibited (RFC 7568) TLS 1.2 and 1.3 are the current standards; 1.0/1.1 also deprecated Everyday terminology “SSL certificate” and “SSL/TLS” persist as colloquial shorthand The protocol actually negotiated by nearly every modern HTTPS connection Key Differences SSL is the obsolete predecessor; TLS is the actively maintained successor protocol TLS 1.3’s handshake trims a round trip compared to SSL’s full handshake SSL still permits weak ciphers like RC4; TLS mandates modern AEAD ciphers The label “SSL certificate” survives in marketing even though browsers negotiate TLS SSL 3.0 was broken by POODLE, forcing its complete deprecation When to Use Each SSL ...

Overview HTTP and HTTPS are the same application-layer protocol for transferring web resources, but HTTPS wraps every request and response in a TLS tunnel before it touches the network. That single layer determines whether credentials, cookies, and page content travel as plaintext visible to anyone on the path, or as ciphertext only the two endpoints can read. Comparison Diagram HTTPClientServerGET /login?pwd=hunter2visible to anyone on pathHTTPSClientServerx8f#9a2$qL0e...TLS-encrypted, tamper-evident Comparison Table Aspect HTTP HTTPS Default port 80 443 Connection establishment Single TCP three-way handshake TCP handshake plus a TLS handshake to negotiate cipher and exchange keys Certificate requirement None X.509 certificate issued by a trusted CA (or self-signed) required Data encryption Plaintext — headers, cookies, and body sent unencrypted Encrypted end-to-end using TLS/SSL symmetric ciphers Data integrity No built-in tamper detection MAC/AEAD in TLS detects in-transit tampering Browser indicator “Not secure” warning in modern browsers Padlock icon; no warning shown Performance overhead Lower — no crypto or extra round trip Slightly higher handshake/CPU cost, largely offset by TLS 1.3 and session resumption Typical use case Local development, internal tools on trusted networks, legacy static content Any production site, especially logins, payments, and APIs handling sensitive data Key Differences HTTPS is HTTP tunneled through TLS, not a separate application protocol HTTP traffic is readable in plaintext by anyone with network access; HTTPS traffic is encrypted HTTPS requires a valid certificate from a trusted CA to establish trust Modern browsers flag HTTP sites as not secure, pushing HTTPS as the default TLS 1.3 has shrunk the historical HTTPS handshake cost to near parity with plain TCP When to Use Each HTTP ...