I need to check whether a server supports SSL and the ciphers from the web server.
I looked into SSLSocket in Java but I do not get it to work properly.
I used the method getSupportedProtocols() it always gives out the same protocols for each url. Moreover I do not get the ciphers that are given from the server. I guessed getEnabledCipherSuites() would be the correct method
try {
SSLContext ctx = SSLContext.getDefault();
ctx.getClientSessionContext().setSessionTimeout(5); // in seconds
SSLSocket socket = (SSLSocket) ctx.getSocketFactory().createSocket("host.com", 443);
socket.setSoTimeout(5000); // in millis
String[] result = socket.getEnabledCipherSuites();
Arrays.sort(result);
for (int i = 0; i < result.length; i++) {
System.out.println(result[i]);
}
} catch (IOException ex) {
System.out.println("Error!");
}
How can I check that the server uses SSL? What ciphers were returned from the server?
getSupportedProtocols()/CipherSuites() returns the lists of protocols and ciphers (respectively) that your side can support. getEnabledProtocols()/CipherSuites() returns the subset of these lists that are enabled on your side.
That won't tell you much about about what the server supports.
According to the TLS specification, the client sends the highest protocol version can use and the list of cipher suites it wants to use. The server then uses the highest protocol it supports within that list (if any) and selects the cipher suite it wants amongst that list (if any).
There's some flexibility regarding how the cipher suite selection is done (see SSLHonorCipherOrder directive in Apache Httpd, for example).
Essentially, if you want to see which cipher suites are actually supported by your server, you'll have to iterate through each cipher suite you support and enable them one by one to try a handshake.
used the method getSupportedProtocols() it always gives out the same protocols for each url.
It always give you the protocols supported by your end. That doesn't change per URL.
Moreover I do not get the ciphers that are given from the server. I guessed getEnabledCipherSuites() would be the correct method.
You guessed wrong. It gives you the ciphers supported by your end.
How can I check that the server uses SSL?
Call startHandshake() and catch the exception.
What ciphers were returned from the server?
You can't, but you can tell what cipher suite was negotiated, by looking in the SSLSession.
