Making the Key Exchange stronger

21

I have Apache 2.4.12 and OpenSSL 1.0.2d 9 Jul 2015
on Kubuntu 15.04

Can You suggest better than that in my case:
SSLOpenSSLConfCmd ECDHParameters Automatic
SSLOpenSSLConfCmd Curves secp521r1:secp384r1:prime256v1
Where in default-ssl.conf should I put that above, but please suggest better for my server, as it is newer than in thread.

Is brainpoolP512t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 512 bit prime field the strongest algorithm? But I need also to support all systems, so please help me.

openssl ecparam -list_curves
secp112r1 : SECG/WTLS curve over a 112 bit prime field
secp112r2 : SECG curve over a 112 bit prime field
secp128r1 : SECG curve over a 128 bit prime field
secp128r2 : SECG curve over a 128 bit prime field
secp160k1 : SECG curve over a 160 bit prime field
secp160r1 : SECG curve over a 160 bit prime field
secp160r2 : SECG/WTLS curve over a 160 bit prime field
secp192k1 : SECG curve over a 192 bit prime field
secp224k1 : SECG curve over a 224 bit prime field
secp224r1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 224 bit prime field
secp256k1 : SECG curve over a 256 bit prime field
secp384r1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 384 bit prime field
secp521r1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 521 bit prime field
prime192v1: NIST/X9.62/SECG curve over a 192 bit prime field
prime192v2: X9.62 curve over a 192 bit prime field
prime192v3: X9.62 curve over a 192 bit prime field
prime239v1: X9.62 curve over a 239 bit prime field
prime239v2: X9.62 curve over a 239 bit prime field
prime239v3: X9.62 curve over a 239 bit prime field
prime256v1: X9.62/SECG curve over a 256 bit prime field
sect113r1 : SECG curve over a 113 bit binary field
sect113r2 : SECG curve over a 113 bit binary field
sect131r1 : SECG/WTLS curve over a 131 bit binary field
sect131r2 : SECG curve over a 131 bit binary field
sect163k1 : NIST/SECG/WTLS curve over a 163 bit binary field
sect163r1 : SECG curve over a 163 bit binary field
sect163r2 : NIST/SECG curve over a 163 bit binary field
sect193r1 : SECG curve over a 193 bit binary field
sect193r2 : SECG curve over a 193 bit binary field
sect233k1 : NIST/SECG/WTLS curve over a 233 bit binary field
sect233r1 : NIST/SECG/WTLS curve over a 233 bit binary field
sect239k1 : SECG curve over a 239 bit binary field
sect283k1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 283 bit binary field
sect283r1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 283 bit binary field
sect409k1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 409 bit binary field
sect409r1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 409 bit binary field
sect571k1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 571 bit binary field
sect571r1 : NIST/SECG curve over a 571 bit binary field
c2pnb163v1: X9.62 curve over a 163 bit binary field
c2pnb163v2: X9.62 curve over a 163 bit binary field
c2pnb163v3: X9.62 curve over a 163 bit binary field
c2pnb176v1: X9.62 curve over a 176 bit binary field
c2tnb191v1: X9.62 curve over a 191 bit binary field
c2tnb191v2: X9.62 curve over a 191 bit binary field
c2tnb191v3: X9.62 curve over a 191 bit binary field
c2pnb208w1: X9.62 curve over a 208 bit binary field
c2tnb239v1: X9.62 curve over a 239 bit binary field
c2tnb239v2: X9.62 curve over a 239 bit binary field
c2tnb239v3: X9.62 curve over a 239 bit binary field
c2pnb272w1: X9.62 curve over a 272 bit binary field
c2pnb304w1: X9.62 curve over a 304 bit binary field
c2tnb359v1: X9.62 curve over a 359 bit binary field
c2pnb368w1: X9.62 curve over a 368 bit binary field
c2tnb431r1: X9.62 curve over a 431 bit binary field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls1: WTLS curve over a 113 bit binary field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls3: NIST/SECG/WTLS curve over a 163 bit binary field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls4: SECG curve over a 113 bit binary field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls5: X9.62 curve over a 163 bit binary field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls6: SECG/WTLS curve over a 112 bit prime field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls7: SECG/WTLS curve over a 160 bit prime field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls8: WTLS curve over a 112 bit prime field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls9: WTLS curve over a 160 bit prime field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls10: NIST/SECG/WTLS curve over a 233 bit binary field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls11: NIST/SECG/WTLS curve over a 233 bit binary field
wap-wsg-idm-ecid-wtls12: WTLS curvs over a 224 bit prime field
Oakley-EC2N-3:
IPSec/IKE/Oakley curve #3 over a 155 bit binary field.
Not suitable for ECDSA.
Questionable extension field!
Oakley-EC2N-4:
IPSec/IKE/Oakley curve #4 over a 185 bit binary field.
Not suitable for ECDSA.
Questionable extension field!
brainpoolP160r1: RFC 5639 curve over a 160 bit prime field
brainpoolP160t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 160 bit prime field
brainpoolP192r1: RFC 5639 curve over a 192 bit prime field
brainpoolP192t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 192 bit prime field
brainpoolP224r1: RFC 5639 curve over a 224 bit prime field
brainpoolP224t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 224 bit prime field
brainpoolP256r1: RFC 5639 curve over a 256 bit prime field
brainpoolP256t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 256 bit prime field
brainpoolP320r1: RFC 5639 curve over a 320 bit prime field
brainpoolP320t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 320 bit prime field
brainpoolP384r1: RFC 5639 curve over a 384 bit prime field
brainpoolP384t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 384 bit prime field
brainpoolP512r1: RFC 5639 curve over a 512 bit prime field
brainpoolP512t1: RFC 5639 curve over a 512 bit prime field

22

Ok, I updated my OpenSSL to:
OpenSSL 1.0.2e 3 Dec 2015
I’m a bit confused on the apache version, apache2 -v says 2.4.7, but I installed from deb the 2.4.18 one.

23

— Android 2
— Java 6
— OpenSSL 0.9.x
— Opera Presto

Fortunately not among those to care about.

[quote="tiferrei, post:1, topic:8116"]
I tried running an SSL Test and it said that…
[/quote]SSL Labs results page doesn't clarify all this. Glad my advice made this thread happen anyway.

24

Below are the curves supported by browsers:

secp521r1 is even less supported. prime256v1 is the best for compatibility and enough for security. Use secp384r1 if you want 100% key exchange on SSL Labs or if you need key exchange equal to 192-bit symmetric encryption.

25

Keep in mind that getting full 100% on all SSLLabs results will disable support for a lot of browsers. Unless you know your viewers will all be using the latest stuff released in the past two years, be more conservative. You can still easily get the “A+” by having reasonably secure settings and using HSTS.

I highly recommend using the Mozilla SSL Configuration Generator and plugging in the versions you’re using with the “intermediate” option, which should give you very good security for modern systems while not punishing those users who are running slightly older software.

2 Likes
26

According to SSLLabs Android 2 and Java 6 don’t have SNI, so those clients aren’t really compatible with my server anyway.

27

Besides, probably you shouldn't want to aim for "full 100". For example, a 100 score for "Cipher Strength" would mean only 256 bits ciphers. If you disable 128 bit AES-GCM, but enable 256 bit AES (GCM+CBC), you'll get a score of 100, but Chrome will refuse to connect with the GCM mode of operation, instead opting for the way less secure CBC mode of operation. See Issue 442572: Disable AES-256-CBC modes by default on code.google.com for more information.
Therefore, you think your server is more secure with a score of 100, but in reality the connections to your server will be more secure if you have a configuration with a score of 90.