This article is dedicated to discuss about the ssl/tls and what is the difference between these two.
In the earlier article we have discussed SSL in detail. Here, we are discussing only in brief. Please go through that article if you haven’t gone yet.
What is SSL/TLS
A security protocol for the Internet based on encryption is known as SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer. To provide privacy, authentication, and data integrity in Internet communications, Netscape created it for the first time in 1995. The present TLS encryption now in use predates SSL.
The URL of a website that uses SSL/TLS begins with “HTTPS” rather than “HTTP.”
In addition to securing Internet connections, SSL is also used to authenticate and encrypt other applications at the transport layer of the network. In general, SSL is about securing connections between a web browser (client) and a website (server). It has facilitated secure transactions between consumers and businesses and helped lay the foundation for e-commerce. Without SSL, data sent to and from a website can be intercepted by a cybercriminal.
SSL uses public and private key encryption and other cryptographic functions to secure connections between devices communicating over a TCP/IP network.SSL can encrypt plain text entered on a website using asymmetric cryptography and public-key cryptography. This is just one of the ways modern businesses are using Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
Importance of SSL/TLS
Data on the Web used to be sent in plaintext, which meant that anyone could read it if they intercepted the communication. For instance, if a customer went to a shopping website, made a purchase, and entered their credit card information, that information would be transmitted across the Internet in clear view.
SSL was developed to address this issue and safeguard user privacy. SSL makes sure that anyone who intercepts the data can only see a jumbled mess of characters by encrypting any data that travels between a user and a web server. The credit card number submitted by the customer is now secure and only accessible by the purchasing website.
SSL also prevents specific cyberattacks: It verifies web servers, which is crucial because hackers frequently attempt to create phoney websites in order to deceive people and steal data. Like a tamper-proof seal on a medicine container, it also prevents attackers from altering data while it is being transmitted.
SSL vs TLS
TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a protocol that was directly inspired by SSL. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) suggested updating SSL in 1999. The name was changed to TLS because the IETF was now working on this update and Netscape was no longer a part of it. The name change was implemented to indicate the change in ownership; there are not many significant differences between the final version of SSL (3.0) and the initial version of TLS.
The two terms are frequently confused and used interchangeably because they are so similar to one another. Because SSL still has such a strong name recognition, some individuals still use SSL to refer to TLS, while others use the term “SSL/TLS encryption.”
For the purpose of encrypting and safeguarding internet communications, SSL is a security protocol created by Netscape in the 1990s. SSL v1.0 was never published owing to security vulnerabilities. Netscape introduced SSL v2.0 in 1995, but it was still riddled with problems.
SSL v3.0, which was launched in 1996, fixed the issues with SSL v2.0. The incredible advancements in this version fundamentally altered how the internet functions today. However, SSL 3.0 and earlier versions have been deprecated as of 2015. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) created TLS as an enhancement to SSL; TLS v1.0 was launched in 1999 and was based on SSL v3.0. Despite just having small security improvements, TLS v1.0 and SSL v3.0 did not work together.
TLS v1.1 was released in 2006, seven years later, and was quickly replaced by TLS v1.2 in 2008. As a result, TLS v1.1 adoption suffered as many websites switched straight from TLS v1.0 to TLS v1.2. We have reached TLS v1.3 after 11 years.
TLS v1.3 was finally implemented in 2018 after more than 30 IETF draughts. TLS v1.3 delivers major enhancements over its predecessors. TLS v1.0 and TLS v1.1 have been deprecated by Microsoft, Apple, Google, Mozilla, Cloudflare, and Cisco as of March 2020. The only SSL protocols still in use are TLS v1.2 and v1.3.
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Therefore, TLS is really just an upgraded version of SSL. The majority of people continue to refer to TLS as SSL. The same sensitive information is protected during transmission by SSL and TLS, but the cryptography has changed significantly between the first version of SSL and the most recent TLS v1.3.
The SSL protocol’s primary component, digital certificates, start secure connections between clients (such as web browsers, apps, or email clients) and servers (such as websites, intranets, or VPNs).
SSL certificates provide sufficient defence against phishing attacks, transmission eavesdropping, and automatic server authentication, such as for website domains. A website must have an SSL certificate to encrypt sensitive user data during transmission if it requests this information. Any private information should not be trusted over a connection if there is no SSL certificate.
You see HTTPS in your browser’s address bar because TLS/SSL cryptography and encryption is the most frequently used method for securing websites on the internet. Additionally, TLS/SSL encryption protects sensitive data in transit, including login credentials, credit card details, and social security numbers. Both the server and the browser require a digital certificate, also referred to as a TLS/SSL certificate, in order to create this connection.
Asymmetric and symmetric keys are used in the TLS/SSL technology that powers encryption. These public and private keys are built using a variety of techniques, including Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) and RSA, making them essentially uncrackable.
How does TLS/SSL use both asymmetric and symmetric encryption?
Digital certificates must be created, managed, distributed, used, stored, and revoked using a public key infrastructure (PKI), which consists of the necessary hardware, software, personnel, policies, and operational procedures. PKI is also what uses a Certificate Authority (CA) to link user identities and keys. The hybrid cryptosystem used by PKI reaps the advantages of both types of encryption. For instance, an asymmetric public and private key pair is present in the server’s TLS certificate during TLS/SSL connections. During the SSL Handshake, the server and the browser create a symmetric session key.