6 May
2021
6 May
'21
9:16 a.m.
On Thursday 06 of May 2021 10:54:59 Mike Bird wrote:
KMail account setup security settings includes a
dialog of which
the upper part looks like the attached image.
Now my understanding is that TLS is basically a newer version of
SSL. TLS 1 was reportedly just a minor improvement on SSL 3.
However that is not the way these options seem to behave. I'm
starting to think that the "SSL" option actually uses SSL or TLS,
and the "TLS" option is actually to use STARTTLS.
STARTTLS ia a magic command used in an unencrypted session to
spawn a new encrypted session. For example with IMAP it kinda
switches you up from port 143 to port 993.
So is the "TLS" option actually TLS or is it STARTTLS?
Thanks,
--Mike
In earlier times, "SSL" has referred to the way communication is encrypted
since the beginning (port 993), while "TLS" has been referred to when
plain connection is established and then STARTTLS is used to switch to
encryption (port 145).
Regardless of the way the communication encryption is started, there is
subsequently negotiating about the encryption used, when it is likely to
be selected TLS >= 1.2.
It is true that here was better to change the descriptions as now the usual
terminology - instead of SSL to give SSL/TLS and instead of TLS to give
STARTTLS. The same for POP3 and SMTP. Does it seem like a good idea?
Cheers
--
Slávek