Question 1

What does this SSL/TLS Checker analyze?

Accepted Answer

This tool performs comprehensive SSL/TLS analysis including: certificate validation and details, certificate chain verification, TLS protocol support (1.0 through 1.3), cipher suite analysis, known vulnerability detection (POODLE, BEAST, FREAK, etc.), security header inspection (HSTS), and provides an overall security grade from A+ to F with actionable recommendations.

Question 2

How is the security grade calculated?

Accepted Answer

The overall security grade (A+ to F) is calculated using a weighted average: Certificate (20%) - key size, signature algorithm, validity; Protocol Support (25%) - TLS versions enabled; Key Exchange (25%) - forward secrecy support; Cipher Strength (20%) - encryption algorithms used; Vulnerabilities (10%) - known security issues. Critical vulnerabilities automatically result in an F grade.

Question 3

What vulnerabilities does this tool check for?

Accepted Answer

The tool checks for major SSL/TLS vulnerabilities including: POODLE (CVE-2014-3566) - SSL 3.0 vulnerability; BEAST (CVE-2011-3389) - TLS 1.0 CBC attack; FREAK (CVE-2015-0204) - export cipher vulnerability; weak cipher suites without forward secrecy; and missing security headers like HSTS. Each vulnerability includes its CVE identifier, severity level, and remediation guidance.

Question 4

How long does the analysis take?

Accepted Answer

Quick Check mode completes in 2-3 seconds and provides certificate validity, expiration, and basic security status. Detailed Analysis mode takes 15-30 seconds and performs comprehensive testing including protocol enumeration, cipher suite analysis, vulnerability scanning, and security header inspection. Analysis time depends on server response time and network conditions.

Question 5

What is the difference between Quick Check and Detailed Analysis?

Accepted Answer

Quick Check provides fast certificate validation - issuer, expiration date, days remaining, supported TLS versions, and critical issues only. Detailed Analysis performs comprehensive security auditing - complete certificate chain, all protocol versions tested, cipher suite enumeration, vulnerability scanning, security headers analysis, and detailed recommendations. Use Quick Check for monitoring, Detailed Analysis for security audits.

Question 6

Why is TLS 1.0 or 1.1 a problem?

Accepted Answer

TLS 1.0 (1999) and 1.1 (2006) are deprecated due to known vulnerabilities and weak cipher suites. They are vulnerable to attacks like BEAST and support outdated cryptographic algorithms. Major browsers have disabled them. PCI DSS requires TLS 1.2+ since June 2018. Organizations should disable TLS 1.0/1.1 and use only TLS 1.2 and 1.3, unless legacy system support is absolutely required.

Question 7

What are forward secrecy and ECDHE ciphers?

Accepted Answer

Forward secrecy (Perfect Forward Secrecy) ensures that compromising a server\

Question 8

What does the certificate chain show?

Accepted Answer

The certificate chain displays the trust path from your server certificate (end entity) through intermediate certificates to the root CA certificate. A valid chain has: 1) Server certificate signed by intermediate CA, 2) Intermediate CA signed by root CA, 3) Root CA trusted by browsers. Missing intermediates or expired certificates in the chain cause browser warnings. The tool verifies each link and identifies chain issues.

Question 9

What is HSTS and why is it important?

Accepted Answer

HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) is a security header that forces browsers to always connect via HTTPS, preventing protocol downgrade attacks and cookie hijacking. Recommended configuration: max-age=31536000 (1 year), includeSubDomains, and preload directives. HSTS preload lists protect users even on their first visit. Missing HSTS leaves sites vulnerable to SSL stripping attacks that downgrade HTTPS to HTTP.

Question 10

Can this tool analyze localhost or internal servers?

Accepted Answer

This tool can analyze any server accessible from our servers. For localhost or internal servers behind firewalls, the tool cannot establish connections. For internal testing, use command-line tools like openssl s_client, testssl.sh, or nmap scripts. Alternatively, temporarily expose your test server with proper access controls, or use browser-based tools that run locally.

Question 11

How often should I check my SSL/TLS configuration?

Accepted Answer

Check your SSL/TLS configuration: 1) After initial HTTPS setup, 2) Before certificate expiration (30+ days in advance), 3) After server or configuration changes, 4) After security advisories about new vulnerabilities, 5) Monthly for production systems, 6) Quarterly as part of security audits. Set up monitoring for certificate expiration and consider automated daily checks for critical systems.

Question 12

What should I do if I get a low grade?

Accepted Answer

Follow the prioritized recommendations provided: 1) CRITICAL: Fix vulnerabilities immediately (disable SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0), 2) HIGH: Remove weak ciphers, renew expiring certificates, increase key sizes, 3) MEDIUM: Enable TLS 1.3, implement HSTS, prioritize forward secrecy ciphers, 4) LOW: Enable HSTS preload, optimize cipher order. Most improvements can be made in web server configuration (Apache, Nginx, IIS) without code changes.

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