TLS Deprecation and Email: What You Need to Know
The four most popular web browsers (Google Chrome, Apple’s Safari, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox) recently announced they would be deprecating TLS 1.0 and 1.1 beginning in 2020, signaling a major shift in web browsing, email use and much more.
TLS is the security protocol that is used in online communications of all types, and the successor to SSL. Many people still use the term SSL when really what they are referring to these days is TLS. Its primary purpose is to secure traffic from one point to another. The standard version currently in use is TLS 1.2, so TLS 1.0 and 1.1 are already outdated. Now these major browsers will be dropping the older versions altogether, completely removing support for these protocols from many of their services.
At this point, TLS 1.0 and 1.1 are considered unsafe because they use some outdated algorithms and systems that have been determined to be vulnerable to various types of outside attacks. There are other more modern security features they lack, such as perfect forward secrecy.
What does this mean for business owners?
The good news is that only a fraction of people using the internet still make connections with TLS 1.0 and 1.1., as TLS 1.2 has been the standard for almost 10 years now. However, business owners in particular who are concerned with web and network security should take the proper steps to make sure they are using upgraded browsers and operating systems.
There are some older versions of operating systems that are not able to run browsers supporting TLS 1.2 functionality. If this is the case, any computer running one of those old operating systems will effectively be unable to access the internet, unless using a niche type of browser.
In addition, older email applications that cannot be updated may no longer be able to access some email services. The changeover will affect all levels of email hosting. Depending on the kind of operating system being used, one might no longer have any way to access the email host’s services.
Therefore, if you haven’t done so already, the time is now to make the transition to operating systems and browsers that support TLS 1.2. Otherwise, you will continue to use security systems that are nearly two decades old that do not give you the same level of protection.
At IDMI.NET, we make it a priority to constantly update our approach to digital and network safety, ensuring our services are as secure as possible for our clients. We strongly recommend performing a quick analysis of your operating system and web browser to ensure it won’t lose TLS support. Please feel free to contact our support team if you have any questions about how to make these assurances.