Enforcing TLS Version 1.2

Require the use of the latest version of the TLS security protocol for communication on your site. This process ensures that any weakness in previous versions, or older, less secure protocols, cannot be used by malicious parties to obtain sensitive data.

About this task

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol designed for secure network communications. TLS 1.2 is the latest, and thus most secure, version of the specification.

Requiring TLS 1.2 is part of updating to NIST SP 800-131A security standards. Consider NIST SP 800-131A for more enhancements to site security. See, Updating to NIST SP 800-131A security standards.

Procedure

To enforce the use of TLS 1.2 on your site, ensure that all supporting software is using TLS 1.2:
  • Configure your web server to require TLS 1.2 as a minimum. For example, for IBM HTTP Server 8.5.5, add the following directive to your httpd.conf web server configuration file to disable HTTPS protocols lower than TLS 1.2 for all virtual hosts with the SSLEnable directive enabled:
    SSLProtocolDisable SSLv2 SSLv3 TLSv10 TLSv11
  • By default, WebSphere Application Server supports only TLS 1.0 for outbound communication. It is recommended that you use SSL_TLSv2 so that you can support TLS 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2 for outbound communication. If you want to support only TLS 1.2 for outbound communication, then use TLSv1.2. For an easy to follow guide on this process, see How do I configure WebSphere Application Server SSL protocol to TLSv1.2 only?.
  • If WebSphere Commerce is integrated with LDAP using SSL, set the SSL protocol to TLS 1.2.
  • If outbound email is used over SSL, configure email to use TLS 1.2.
  • Ensure that browsers that are interacting with WebSphere Commerce are using TLS 1.2, for example Internet Explorer 8 or later on Windows 7 or later.

Results

All communications on your site are now made through TLS 1.2 only.