SSL 3.0
SSL 3.0 (Secure Sockets Layer version 3.0) is a deprecated cryptographic protocol designed to provide secure communication over a computer network, primarily for web browsing. It was developed by Netscape in 1996 as an improvement over earlier SSL versions, introducing features like the SHA-1 hash function and support for more cipher suites. However, it has been found vulnerable to attacks like POODLE and is no longer considered secure for modern use.
Developers should learn about SSL 3.0 primarily for historical context and to understand the evolution of internet security protocols, as it laid the groundwork for TLS (Transport Layer Security). It is crucial to know its vulnerabilities to ensure legacy systems are properly upgraded or disabled, preventing security breaches in applications that might still support it inadvertently. Use cases include analyzing old codebases, maintaining backward compatibility in controlled environments, or studying cryptographic protocol design.