What are the benefits and features of TLS 1.4 compared to previous versions?

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the latest version of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which became outdated due to several critical security vulnerabilities that were discovered over the years, prompting the shift to TLS.

TLS 1.3 was released in August 2018 and brought about significant improvements over TLS 1.2, notably by removing obsolete and insecure features such as certain encryption algorithms and the ability to negotiate insecure connections.

TLS 1.4 builds upon the advancements made in TLS 1.3, specifically enhancing the protocol's efficiency and security even further, although the specifications may still be under review.

One of the more significant upgrades in TLS 1.3 was the simplification of the handshake process, which is now reduced to a single round trip between the client and server, resulting in faster connection times.

TLS 1.3 introduced ephemeral key exchanges using Diffie-Hellman (DH), providing perfect forward secrecy, meaning that even if a server’s long-term key is compromised, past session keys cannot be derived from it.

In TLS 1.4, there is speculation that further enhancements in cryptographic algorithms will allow for the use of post-quantum cryptography, ensuring data remains secure even against potential quantum computing threats.

Unlike earlier versions, TLS 1.3 has made it mandatory for both parties to support the same version; this reduces the chances of falling back to older, less secure versions of the protocol during negotiation.

The removal of RSA key exchange in TLS 1.3 emphasized the modern preference for ephemeral key exchanges, a trend that may continue in TLS 1.4, focusing on security over legacy compatibility.

TLS 1.3 brought forward the option to use only verified cipher suites, enhancing the integrity of connections, a feature that's expected to be refined in TLS 1.4.

One compelling feature of TLS is its ability to secure different transport protocols, meaning it is not limited to HTTPS but can also protect other communications such as email and instant messaging.

TLS 1.2 and earlier versions allowed the use of outdated algorithms such as RC4 and SHA-1, which are now considered insecure; TLS 1.3 explicitly prohibits the use of these algorithms.

The transition to TLS 1.3 represented a shift in the cryptographic community towards more modern practices, which are further anticipated to evolve in TLS 1.4 to include more sophisticated mechanisms for error handling and connection resumability.

The TLS protocol relies on a combination of asymmetric and symmetric encryption; asymmetric encryption is used for key exchange, while symmetric encryption provides data confidentiality during the session.

An important change in TLS 1.3 was the incorporation of 0-RTT (Zero Round Trip Time) session resumption, which allows clients to send data immediately after a handshake, improving performance for repeat connections.

TLS 1.4 is expected to incorporate mechanisms to better handle network middlemen or man-in-the-middle attacks by enforcing stricter validation checks to ensure data integrity and authenticity.

While TLS 1.3 is already widely supported, the integration of TLS 1.4 is anticipated to further improve user privacy through more rigorous data encryption protocols and more intuitive enforcement of privacy policies.

Researchers emphasize that the transition to TLS 1.4 should see continuing notification improvements about security events, thereby facilitating quicker responses to potential threats.

The adoption of TLS 1.3 in modern web browsers and services has already seen a substantial increase in encrypted traffic, indicating a rush towards securing data in transit, a trend that may accelerate with TLS 1.4.

The design of TLS intentionally allows for flexibility and extensibility, so TLS 1.4 could introduce new extensions to accommodate evolving security threats and cryptographic methods.

The structured development of the TLS protocol is overseen by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which continually evaluates its efficacy against the changing landscape of cyber threats while planning for future versions.