The Importance of SSL Security

– All our applications require security, and cryptography is one of the primary tools used to provide that security. The primary goals of cryptography, data confidentiality, data integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation (accountability) can be used to prevent multiple types of network-based attacks. These attacks may include eavesdropping, IP spoofing, connection hijacking, and tampering.

– We have an open-source version of SSL, a cryptographic library known as OpenSSL. It implements the industry’s best-regarded algorithms, including encryption algorithms such as 3DES (“Triple DES”), AES, and RSA, as well as message digest algorithms and message authentication codes.

– SSL security is essential for maintaining trust and confidence in online transactions and communications. With increasing cyber threats, SSL encryption helps protect sensitive information such as credit card details, login credentials, and personal data from falling into the wrong hands. By encrypting data, SSL security ensures that the information remains unreadable and unusable to unauthorized individuals even if intercepted.

How SSL Security Works:

When users access a website secured with SSL, their browser initiates a secure connection with the web server. The server sends its SSL certificate, containing its public key, to the browser. The browser then verifies the authenticity of the SSL certificate and uses the server’s public key to encrypt data before sending it back to the server. Only the server, possessing the corresponding private key, can decrypt the encrypted data and process it securely.

SSL Operations

A: – SSL was introduced to provide security for client-to-server communications by a) encrypting the data transfer and b) ensuring the authenticity of the connection. Encryption means that a 3rd party cannot read the data.

B: – They are essential, hiding what is sent from one computer to another by changing the content. Codes encrypt traffic, and SSL puts a barrier around the data. Authenticity means that you can trust the other end of the connection. 

SSL uses TCP for transport:

SSL uses TCP as the transport protocol, enabling security services for other application-based protocols that ride on TCP, including FTP and SMTP. Some well-known TCP ports for SSL are 443 HTTPS, 636 LDAP, 989 FTPS-DATA, 990 FTPS, 992 TELNET, 993 IMAPS, 994 IRCS, 995 POP3, and 5061 SIPS. It relies on cryptography; shared keys encrypt and decrypt the data. SSL certificates, assigned by certificate authorities (CA), issue public keys, creating trusted 3rd parties on the Internet.

Firstly, the client and server agree on “how” to encrypt data by sending HELLO messages containing Key Exchange Message, Cipher, version of SSL, and the Hash. The server replies with a HELLO message with the chosen parameters (The client offers what it can do, and the server replies with what it will do). In the next stage, the server sends a certificate to the client containing its public key.

Next, a client key exchange message is used, and once this message is sent, both computers calculate a master secret code, which is used to encrypt communications. The computer then changes to the Cipher Spec agreed in the previous HELLO messages. Encryption then starts.

Certificates are used for identification and are signed by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). Firstly, you need to apply for a certificate via a CA (Similar to the analogy of a passport application). Then, the CA creates the certificate and signs it. The signature is created by condensing all the company details into a number through a Hash function. The CA encrypts with the private keys, so anyone holding the public key can encrypt. For example, the certificate is installed on a web server at the customer’s site and used in the handshake process. 

1: SSL security and forward secrecy

Most sites supporting HTTPS operate in a non-forward secret mode, exposing themselves to retrospective decryption. Forward secrecy is a feature that prevents the compromise of a long-term secret key. It allows today’s information to be kept secret even if the private key gets compromised in the future. For example, if someone tries to sniff client-to-server communications but can’t, as the server uses a 128-bit key, they can record the entire transmission for the next five years.

When the server is decommissioned, they attempt to get the key and decrypt the traffic. Forward secrecy solves this problem by double-encrypting every connection. So even if someone gets the key in the future, they can’t decrypt the traffic. Google supports forward secrecy on many of its HTTPS websites, such as Gmail, Google Docs, and Google+. Around the world? The Internet uses forward secrecy.

2: Strict transport security (HSTS)

In 2009, a computer security researcher named Moxie Marlinspike introduced the concept of SSL stripping. He released a tool called “sslstrip,” which could prevent a browser from upgrading to SSL in a way that would go unnoticed by the end user. Strict Transport Security is a security feature that lets a website inform browsers it should be communicating with HTTPS and not HTTP to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Although the deployment of HSTS has been slow, around 1% of the Internet uses it.

3: POODLE Attack – Flaw in SSLv3

In October 2014, Google’s security team uncovered the POODLE attack (Padding Oracle On Downgraded Legacy Encryption) and released a paper called “POODLE bites.” They revealed a flaw in SSLv3 that allowed an attacker to decrypt HTTP cookies and hijack your browser session—essentially another man-in-the-middle attack.

Many browsers will revert to SSL 3.0 when a TLS connection is unavailable, and an attacker may force a server to default to SSL v3.0 to exploit the vulnerability. One way to overcome this is to permanently disable SSL ver 3.0 on the client and server. However, there are variants of POODLE for TLSv1 and TLS v2. Before the poodle attack, a large proportion of the Internet supported SSL Ver 3.0, but this has considerably dropped in response to the attack.

4: SSL Decryption Attack

Assaults on trust through SSL-encrypted traffic are common and growing in frequency and sophistication. The low-risk, high-reward nature of SSL/TLS vulnerability ensures that these trends will continue, leading to various SSL decryption attacks.

An SSL decryption attack is a DoS attack that targets the SSL handshake protocol either by sending worthless data to the SSL server, which will result in connection issues for legitimate users, or by abusing the SSL handshake protocol itself.

5: 2048-bit keys SSL certificate

Strong recommendations exist for using 2048-bit certificates. The NIST and other companies feel the encryption of 1048-bit keys is insufficient. Computers are getting faster, and 1048-bit keys will not protect you for the lifetime of the secret. On the other hand, 2048-bit certificates will give you about 30 years of security.

The impact of a larger key length is a reduction in performance. 2048-bit keys will reduce transactions per second (TPS) by five times. There are options to configure a “Session Reuse” feature that lets you reuse the session ID negotiated asymmetrically. Session Reuse is a mechanism that allows you to do fewer asymmetric key exchanges. 

SSL to the server can cripple the application. Generic hardware is not optimized for this type of handling, and 2048-bit keys don’t work well on generic software and processors. Consolidating the SSL with an appliance that handles the SSL load is better for TPS and performance. Additionally, the driver for SSL offload on optimized hardware is more compelling with 2048-bit keys. 

SSL Security – Closing Points

SSL works by using encryption algorithms to scramble data in transit, preventing hackers from reading it as it is sent over the connection. When a browser attempts to connect to a secured website, the server and browser engage in an “SSL handshake.” During this process, they establish a secure connection by generating unique session keys. This ensures that the information exchanged remains confidential and is only accessible to the intended parties.

Having an SSL certificate is crucial for any website, especially if it involves handling sensitive information like credit card details or personal data. SSL certificates serve multiple purposes: they authenticate the identity of the website, ensure data integrity, and provide encryption. Websites with SSL certificates are marked with a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, which builds trust and credibility with users. Moreover, search engines like Google favor SSL-secured websites, giving them a higher ranking in search results.

There are several types of SSL certificates, each catering to different levels of security needs. The most common types include:

1. **Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificates**: These provide a basic level of encryption and are usually the quickest to obtain.

2. **Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificates**: These offer a higher level of security, requiring verification of the organization’s identity.

3. **Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificates**: These provide the highest level of security and trust, involving a thorough vetting process. Websites with EV SSL certificates display a green address bar in the browser.

Choosing the right type of SSL certificate depends on the specific security requirements of your website.

Despite its widespread use, there are several misconceptions about SSL security. Some believe that SSL is only necessary for e-commerce websites, but it is essential for any site that collects user data. Others assume that SSL encryption slows down website performance, but modern technologies have optimized SSL to ensure minimal impact on speed.