Microsoft finally offers an option to disable SSL 3.0 on Internet Explorer 11

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Published onDecember 10, 2014

published onDecember 10, 2014

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Microsoft announced today that it is offering Internet Explorer 11 users an option to disable the SSL 3.0 protocol. Microsoft had previously announced that it would be disabling the vulnerable SSL 3.0 by default in its flagship browser Internet Explorer by December, but it seems to be taking some extra time. The company says that it will disable SSL 3.0 by default on February 10th, 2015.

For those of you who are unaware, in October Google revealed a major security flaw in the widely used SSL 3.0 (Sockets Layer). The vulnerability dubbed PODDLE (Padding Oracle On Downgraded Legacy Encryption) allowed decryption of encrypted connections to websites. The age old vulnerability affected Internet Explorer, as well as other popular browsers including Firefox and Chrome. The SSL 3.0 already has been succeeded by Transport Layer Security, however the former is still prevalent and is is still required for compatibility by several old browsers including Internet Explorer 6. The SSL 3.0 omits validation of certain pieces of data that accompany each message. This is an exploit attackers use to decipher the entire data byte by byte.

Microsoft’s move to offer an option to disable SSL 3.0 protocol comes weeks after both Mozilla and Google implemented the said feature on their respective browsers. Chrome removed the fallback to SSL 3.0 with Chrome version 39, and Mozilla offered the same feature with the Firefox version 34 which it released earlier this month. Today’supdateis also applicable to the enterprise customers, who can now configure the settings manually by adjusting Group Policy. But the normal users will have to wait until February 10, or run a “Fix It” patch.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

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Radu Tyrsina

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Microsoft finally offers an option to disable SSL 3.0 on Internet Explorer 11