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3. Changes to TLS

Because of the deficiencies noted in the previous section:

  • TLS clients MUST NOT send the SSL version 2.0 compatible CLIENT-HELLO message format. Clients MUST NOT send any ClientHello message that specifies a protocol version less than { 0x03, 0x00 }. As previously stated by the definitions of all previous versions of TLS, the client SHOULD specify the highest protocol version it supports.

  • TLS servers MAY continue to accept ClientHello messages in the version 2 CLIENT-HELLO format as specified in RFC 5246 [TLS1.2], Appendix E.2. Note that this does not contradict the prohibition against actually negotiating the use of SSL 2.0.

  • TLS servers MUST NOT reply with an SSL 2.0 SERVER-HELLO with a protocol version that is less than { 0x03, 0x00 } and instead MUST abort the connection, i.e., when the highest protocol version offered by the client is { 0x02, 0x00 }, the TLS connection will be refused.

Note that the number of servers that support this above-mentioned "MAY accept" implementation option is declining, and the SSL 2.0 CLIENT-HELLO precludes the use of TLS protocol enhancements that require TLS extensions. TLS extensions can only be sent as part of an (Extended) ClientHello handshake message.

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