To be precise, their underlying library (NSS, OpenSSL or boringssl) writes the required per-session secrets to a file.

The key log file is a text file generated by applications such as Firefox, Chrome and curl when the SSLKEYLOGFILE environment variable is set. The RSA private key only works in a limited number of cases. Key log file using per-session secrets ( #Usingthe (Pre)-Master Secret).Ī key log file is a universal mechanism that always enables decryption, even if a Diffie-Hellman (DH) key exchange is in use. Wireshark supports TLS decryption when appropriate secrets are provided. Use of the ssl display filter will emit a warning. Since Wireshark 3.0, the TLS dissector has been renamed from SSL to TLS. The TLS dissector is fully functional and even supports advanced features such as decryption of TLS if appropriate secrets are provided ( #TLS_Decryption). TCP: Typically, TLS uses TCP as its transport protocol.When a single port directly uses the TLS protocol, it is often referred to as SSL.įor historical reasons, software (Wireshark included) refer to SSL or SSL/TLS while it actually means the TLS protocol since that is nowadays what everyone uses. To change from unencrypted to encrypted, (START)TLS is used. Some applications (such as email) use a single port for both unencrypted and encrypted sessions. X.509 certificates for authentication are sometimes also called SSL Certificates. These names are often used interchangeably which can lead to some confusion:Ī configuration that uses the SSL protocol (SSLv2/SSLv3) is insecure.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is the predecessor of the TLS protocol. It is used most commonly in web browsers, but can be used with any protocol that uses TCP as the transport layer.

It provides integrity, authentication and confidentiality. Transport Layer Security (TLS) provides security in the communication between two hosts.

Embedding decryption secrets in a pcapng file.

Wireshark certificate exchange