Secure communication protocols make the difference between people navigating the internet with confidence and being at the mercy of attackers. Businesses, governments, and other organizations that people trust with their data have a weighty responsibility as protectors of sensitive information.
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a security protocol used when two digital parties, often a browser and a server, engage in a handshake. During the handshake process, the browser says, in effect, “Here’s what I’m going to use to make sure the information my user sends is secure.” In reply, the server says, “Okay, based on the options you’re presenting, here’s what I think is the best way for us to interact securely.”
The tools the browser (or client) and the server can use include authentication, cryptographic protocols, and session keys. TLS determines which of these are an option for the parties during their interaction.
When two parties on the internet, such as your web browser and a website’s server, interact, they exchange TLS handshakes. This article explains:
In 1995, Netscape introduced Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, a security protocol for fostering safe online transactions. Eventually, SSL was replaced by the TLS protocol, which incorporated more effective cryptographic algorithms and security features.
TLS 1.2 was first offered to the public in 2008. The goal was to improve on previous versions of TLS, developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) to replace SSL.
TLS 1.2 grew out of a need for stronger security and offered:
These features combine to provide improved security functionality when compared to TLS 1.0 and 1.1. Each handshake element results in more secure communication, authentication, and verification, such as:
TLS 1.3 is is the current version of TLS. It features an even more secure handshake than TLS 1.2, making it harder to execute man-in-the-middle attacks. These types of attacks involve a hacker stealing information by positioning themselves between a browser and a web server.
Other TLS 1.3 features make it more user-friendly for both website visitors and site owners, including:
When juxtaposed, the differences between TLS 1.2 and 1.3 are clear, and this is good news for business and individual internet users:
Even though the two protocols are different, they have the same objective at heart: to enable secure connections online. They’re also both used to secure online transactions, making it safer to submit payment information through the internet, for instance.
One of the biggest similarities between TLS 1.2 and 1.3 is that they both use a handshake system to establish a secure connection. Key-based encryption algorithms are essential elements of each protocol's handshake.
You can think of TLS 1.2 as an old Windows Vista operating system and TLS 1.3 as Windows 11. Even though they have the same basic purpose, the newer version is faster and more secure.
The timeline for TLS 1.2's EOL is hard to set in stone. Over time, as hackers crack systems, they become less and less secure, forcing their EOL. TLS 1.0 and 1.1 reached their EOL in January 2020. Having been released in April 2006, TLS 1.1 had a lifespan of a little under 14 years. So it's reasonable to expect TLS 1.2's deprecation or EOL very soon because it’s already been around for 15 years.
Legacy systems that still depend on TLS 1.2 may soon not be able to interface with internet-based assets as they’d like. This could introduce significant challenges, such as the need to upgrade servers and transition data and configurations over to your new system.
Here are some best practices for making the transition from TLS 1.2 to TLS 1.3:
TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3 are different in that TLS 1.3 is faster, more efficient, and more secure. The latest version of TLS, 1.3, lets you create a more secure experience for users and reduce the vulnerabilities that could create extra work for your IT team.
Sectigo’s TLS certificates come with the latest security features, which foster safer, faster connections to your digital assets. With the Sectigo Certificate Manager, you can discover, issue, and renew all your digital certificates using one platform. Learn more about how Sectigo supports a more robust security posture by setting up a demo today.