In 2015, the HTTP protocol paved the way for its natural successor, HTTP/2. Now, TLS 1.2, the heir to the popular SSL, has evolved into TLS 1.3 (RFC 8446), incorporating significant enhancements in security, speed, and privacy.
TLS 1.3, the fundamental security protocol for network communication, has undergone a thorough revision, establishing itself as the new official standard. Major browsers like Firefox and Chrome already utilize TLS 1.3.
When you read content in your browser, various essential protocols come into play. These include TCP, IP, UDP, DNS, and HTTP/HTTPS. These systems of rules facilitate communication between different parties and continually adapt to changing realities.
The Importance of TLS 1.3
Google Chrome recently announced that it will no longer explicitly label HTTPS websites as “safe.” Instead, users should expect secure web experiences by default. Consequently, all websites should adopt HTTPS.
Under the hood, the legendary HTTP protocol now carries the “S” at the end, signifying safety. TLS ensures that visitors receive content from legitimate sources and protects against monitoring.
TLS 1.3 eliminates outdated cryptographic methods found in its predecessor. It focuses solely on algorithms without known vulnerabilities, developed in collaboration with the academic security community.
The protocol undergoes an extraordinary level of review and analysis, including rigorous security checks. It safeguards participants’ identities during communication and prevents traffic analysis. Additionally, the perfect secret by default ensures that even compromised future communications won’t compromise current ones.
TLS 1.3 connections are designed for efficient round trips between clients and servers, minimizing latency. Some applications even employ a zero-data round trip mode, allowing prior information exchange with the server.
According to the IETF, these improvements make TLS 1.3 faster than ever. Despite powerful computers, TLS remains crucial for secure website access.
