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Major Browser Shift: Removing SSL v2 for Enhanced Security Standards

Calendar Jun 02, 2006 • User Avatar Benjamin D. Thomas
1 min read
General Esm H446
Topics%20covered

Topics Covered

web security security standards ssl deprecation encryption protocols secure http browser security protocol changes
Despite the enormous success of SSL for securing web traffic, there has been little technical change in the way that SSL is used for secure HTTP in the ten years since SSL version 3 was introduced. Although it has been around since 1996, most browsers have continued to make connections compatible with the older SSL version 2 protocol. But now the major browser developers are aiming to drop SSL v2 completely; export-grade encryption ciphers are also to be dropped.

SSL version 2 was supported by Netscape 1.0, back in 1994, and it was made obsolete by SSL version 3, published in 1996. But while SSL version 3 was soon widely supported — and over 97% of HTTPS sites also support its successor, TLS — most browsers have continued to make SSL-v2-compatible connections, in order to stay compatible.

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