Help Center> Web Application Firewall> User Guide (Ankara Region)> Website Domain Name Management> Configuring the Minimum TLS Version and Cipher Suite
Updated on 2024-04-12 GMT+08:00
View PDF

Configuring the Minimum TLS Version and Cipher Suite

Transport Layer Security (TLS) provides confidentiality and ensures data integrity for data sent between applications over the Internet. HTTPS is a network protocol constructed based on TLS and HTTP and can be used for encrypted transmission and identity authentication. If you set Client Protocol to HTTPS, set the minimum TLS version and cipher suite (a set of multiple cryptographic algorithms) for your domain name to block requests that use a TLS version earlier than the configured one.

TLS v1.0 and the cipher suite 1 are configured by default in WAF for general security. To protect your websites better, set the minimum TLS version to a later version and select a more secure cipher suite.

Prerequisites

  • The website to be protected has been added to WAF.
  • Your website uses HTTPS as the client protocol.

Application Scenarios

By default, the minimum TLS version configured for WAF is TLS v1.0. To ensure website security, configure the right TLS version for your service requirements. Table 1 lists the recommended minimum TLS versions for different scenarios.

Table 1 Recommended minimum TLS versions

Scenario

Minimum TLS Version (Recommended)

Protection Effect

Websites that handle critical business data, such as sites used in banking, finance, securities, and e-commerce.

TLS v1.2

WAF automatically blocks website access requests that use TLS v1.0 or TLS v1.1.

Websites with basic security requirements, for example, small- and medium-sized enterprise websites.

TLS v1.1

WAF automatically blocks website access requests that use TLS v1.0.

Client applications with no special security requirements

TLS v1.0

Requests using any TLS protocols can access the website.

The recommended cipher suite in WAF is Cipher suite 1. Cipher suite 1 offers a good mix of browser compatibility and security. For details about each cipher suite, see Table 2.

Table 2 Description of cipher suites

Cipher Suite Name

Supported cryptographic algorithms

Description

Default cipher suite
  • ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384
  • AES256-SHA256
  • HIGH
  • !MD5
  • !aNULL
  • !eNULL
  • !NULL
  • !DH
  • !EDH
  • !AESGCM
  • Compatibility: Good.

    A wide range of browsers are supported.

  • Security: Average

Cipher suite 1
  • ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384
  • HIGH
  • !MEDIUM
  • !LOW
  • !aNULL
  • !eNULL
  • !DES
  • !MD5
  • !PSK
  • !kRSA
  • !SRP
  • !3DES
  • !DSS
  • !EXP
  • !CAMELLIA
  • @STRENGTH

Recommended configuration.

  • Compatibility: Good.

    A wide range of browsers are supported.

  • Security: Good

Cipher suite 2
  • EECDH+AESGCM
  • EDH+AESGCM
  • Compatibility: Average.

    Strict compliance with forward secrecy requirements of PCI DSS and excellent protection, but browsers of earlier versions may be unable to access the website.

  • Security: Excellent

Cipher suite 3
  • ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256
  • ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384
  • ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384
  • HIGH
  • !MD5
  • !aNULL
  • !eNULL
  • !NULL
  • !DH
  • !EDH
  • Compatibility: Average.

    Earlier versions of browsers may be unable to access the website.

  • Security: Excellent.

    Multiple algorithms, such as ECDHE, DHE-GCM, and RSA-AES-GCM, are supported.

Cipher suite 4
  • ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384
  • ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256
  • ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384
  • AES256-SHA256
  • HIGH
  • !MD5
  • !aNULL
  • !eNULL
  • !NULL
  • !EDH
  • Compatibility: Good.

    A wide range of browsers are supported.

  • Security: Average.

    The GCM algorithm is supported.

The TLS cipher suites in WAF are compatible with all browsers and clients of later versions but are incompatible with some browsers of earlier versions. Table 3 lists the incompatible browsers and clients if the TLS v1.0 protocol is used.

It is recommended that compatibility tests should be carried out on the service environment to ensure service stability.

Table 3 Incompatible browsers and clients for cipher suites under TLS v1.0

Browser/Client

Default Cipher Suite

Cipher Suite 1

Cipher Suite 2

Cipher Suite 3

Cipher Suite 4

Google Chrome 63 /macOS High Sierra 10.13.2

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Google Chrome 49/ Windows XP SP3

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Internet Explorer 6

/Windows XP

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Internet Explorer 8

/Windows XP

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Safari 6/iOS 6.0.1

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Safari 7/iOS 7.1

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Safari 7/OS X 10.9

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Safari 8/iOS 8.4

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Safari 8/OS X 10.10

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Internet Explorer

7/Windows Vista

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Internet Explorer 8, 9, or 10

/Windows 7

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Internet Explorer 10

/Windows Phone 8.0

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Java 7u25

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

OpenSSL 0.9.8y

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Not compatible

Safari 5.1.9/OS X 10.6.8

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Safari 6.0.4/OS X 10.8.4

Compatible

Compatible

Not compatible

Compatible

Compatible

Procedure

  1. Log in to the management console.
  2. Click in the upper left corner of the management console and select a region or project.
  3. Click in the upper left corner and choose Web Application Firewall under Security & Compliance.
  4. In the navigation pane on the left, choose Website Settings.
  5. In the Domain Name column, click the domain name of the website to go to the basic information page.
  6. In the Compliance Certification row, you can select PCI DSS or PCI 3DS to enable compliance check.
  7. Click next to the configured cipher suite in the International Certificate or Chinese Certificate row.
  8. In the displayed TLS Configuration dialog box, specify the TLS version and cipher suite.

    1. If you select International for Type, select the minimum TLS version and cipher suite.
      Select the minimum TLS version you need. The options are as follows:
      • TLS v1.0: the default version. Requests using TLS v1.0 or later can access the domain name.
      • TLS v1.1: Only requests using TLS v1.1 or later can access the domain name.
      • TLS v1.2: Only requests using TLS v1.2 or later can access the domain name.
    2. If you select Chinese for Type, only TLS version gmtls and default cipher suite can be used.

  9. Click OK.

Verification

If the Minimum TLS Version is set to TLS v1.2, the website can be accessed over connections secured by TLS v1.2 or later, but cannot be accessed over connections secured by TLS v1.1 or earlier.