Is SSL dying? Should I buy SSL certificates for my sites any more?

All except the third link refer to SSLv3 (version 3) which is affected by the poodle vulnerability. You should be using the TLS protocol which is the successor of SSL and not affected. You should configure your web server to support TLS 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2, which should cover most devices out there save for a few archaic ones like IE6.0, while still remaining secure. The certificate used for both protocols is the same.

Most mass media websites refer to TLS/SSL as simply SSL. They are actually two separate protocols.

More information here : What's the difference between SSL, TLS, and HTTPS?

As for the 3rd link, it refers to IPv6 superceding SSL. My opinion is that it will take at least a few more years for IPv6 to become the de-facto addressing scheme. In the mean time, an SSL certificate will secure your site. Afterall, you can buy a cert for 1-2 year duration if you are afraid it will become obsolete in the near future.


You're running into a bit of terminology confusion. SSL can mean two things:

  1. The Secure Sockets Layer protocol, versions 1, 2, or 3.

  2. The generic SSL/TLS family of security protocols.

SSL definition 1 is thoroughly obsolete and should not be used. SSL definition 2 is still very much alive, with the good pieces of SSL definition 1 (such as much of the certificate mechanism) incorporated into the modern TLS standards.


Infosec Island: IPv6 - The Death of SSL

The article talks about the use of IPSec as integral part of IPv6 instead of SSL/TLS. IPSec mainly moves the encryption from application layer to the transport layer.

But, the main problem with SSL/TLS are not flaws in the protocol or in the crypto code. Instead the main problem is the PKI, that is the proper use of certificates and CA to build and propagate trust and thus provide trustable authentication. IPSec has no improvements in this area. Even if IPSec will be used everywhere it will probably use the same broken PKI we already use with SSL/TLS. And certificates are needed in both cases.

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