SSH and SSL/TLS
SSH (Secure Shell) and SSL/TLS (
What is SSH?
Secure shell, more commonly known as SSH, is a way to securely communicate with a remote computer. SSH is used for executing commands remotely by interacting with another system’s operating shell. Originally created for UNIX-based computers, SSH is now easily available on Windows.
What is SSL/TLS?
We combine these two protocols as one because they do much the same thing. Both are still used, but TLS is gradually replacing SSL in network implementations. Like SSH, these are both cryptographic protocols. But the setup is different. An SSL/TLS connection uses the
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) are mechanisms for securing websites. While SSL 2.0 and 3.0 are obsolete version, they have been deprecated by IETF in favor of TLS (Some have suggested that TLS is an upgraded version of SSL 3.0). The difference is that TLS is more robust and secure against modern threats and vulnerabilities. If we look at TLS versions, then TLS 1.2 and 1.3 are recent versions that are adopted by major browser authorities. TLS 1.2 supports advanced encryption like ECC and AEAD cipher blocks while
SSL and TLS use
SSH vs SSL/TLS – Differences Between both Security Protocols
SSH and SSL/TLS generally have different purposes. SSH is often used by network administrators for tasks that a normal internet user would never have to deal with. SSL/TLS, on the other hand, is used by the average internet user all the time. Any time someone uses a website with a URL that starts with HTTPS, he is on a site with SSL/TLS.
SSH (SECURE SHELL) | SSL/TLS (SECURE SOCKET LAYER/TRANSPORT SOCKET LAYER) |
---|---|
SSH runs on port 22 | SSL runs on port 443 |
SSH is for securely executing commands on a server. | SSL is used for securely communicating personal information. |
SSH uses a username/password authentication system to establish a secure connection. | SSL normally uses X.509 digital certificates for server and client authentication. |
SSH is working based on network tunnels. | SSL is working based on digital certificates. |
SSH is a remote protocol | SSL is a security protocol |
It is used to reduce security threats for remote server login | It allows secure transition of data between a server and the browser thus, keeps information intact. |
SSH follows authentication process by server’s verification done by client, session key generation, and client’s authentication | SSL follows authentication process by exchange of digital certificate |
Data integrity is measured with algorithms like SHA, SHA-2, SHA-256 | Data integrity is measured with the message digest and added to encrypted data before the data is sent. |
Similarities Between SSH and SSL/TLS
It’s understandable that someone might get SSH and SSL confused, since both are three-digit abbreviations that start with the same letter. But there are other similarities. First, these are both (and all three) protocols that are used in secure connections. Both use encryption to protect data that passes between two network devices.
The purpose of both types of protocols is to create a reliable connection. Without these two mechanisms, we would not have the security necessary to conduct business on the internet that we have today.
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