tls_config_set_dheparams(3)

tls_config_set_dheparams3

Tls protocol and cipher selection

Part of tls_config_set_protocols(3).

Usage

int

int

int

int

int

int

void

void

Overview

These functions modify a configuration by setting parameters. The configuration options apply to both clients and servers, unless noted otherwise.

tls_config_set_protocols() specifies which versions of the TLS protocol may be used. Possible values are the bitwise OR of:

TLS_PROTOCOL_TLSv1_2

TLS_PROTOCOL_TLSv1_3

Additionally, the values TLS_PROTOCOL_TLSv1 (TLSv1.2, TLSv1.3), TLS_PROTOCOLS_ALL (all supported protocols) and TLS_PROTOCOLS_DEFAULT (TLSv1.2 and TLSv1.3) may be used.

The tls_config_parse_protocols() utility function parses a protocol string and returns the corresponding value via the protocols argument. This value can then be passed to the tls_config_set_protocols() function. The protocol string is a comma or colon separated list of keywords. Valid keywords are:

tlsv1.2
tlsv1.3
all

(all supported protocols)

default

(an alias for secure)

legacy

(an alias for all)

secure

(currently TLSv1.2 and TLSv1.3)

If a value has a negative prefix (in the form of a leading exclamation mark) then it is removed from the list of available protocols, rather than being added to it.

tls_config_set_alpn() sets the ALPN protocols that are supported. The alpn string is a comma separated list of protocols, in order of preference.

tls_config_set_ciphers() sets the list of ciphers that may be used. Lists of ciphers are specified by name, and the permitted names are:

secure (or alias default)

compat

legacy

insecure (or alias all)

Alternatively, libssl cipher strings can be specified. See the CIPHERS section of openssl(1) for further information.

tls_config_set_dheparams() specifies the parameters that will be used during Diffie-Hellman Ephemeral (DHE) key exchange. Possible values are:

none

auto

legacy

In auto mode, the key size for the ephemeral key is automatically selected based on the size of the private key being used for signing. In legacy mode, 1024 bit ephemeral keys are used. The default value is none, which disables DHE key exchange.

tls_config_set_ecdhecurves() specifies the names of the elliptic curves that may be used during Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman Ephemeral (ECDHE) key exchange. This is a comma separated list, given in order of preference. The special value of "default" will use the default curves (currently X25519, P-256 and P-384). This function replaces tls_config_set_ecdhecurve(), which is deprecated.

tls_config_prefer_ciphers_client() prefers ciphers in the client's cipher list when selecting a cipher suite (server only). This is considered to be less secure than preferring the server's list.

tls_config_prefer_ciphers_server() prefers ciphers in the server's cipher list when selecting a cipher suite (server only). This is considered to be more secure than preferring the client's list and is the default.

Return values

These functions return 0 on success or -1 on error.

Releases

3 releases since Debian 12 (Bookworm); the text changed 1 time.

  1. 12
  2. 13–Arch

History

tls_config_set_ciphers() appeared in OpenBSD 5.6 and got its final name in OpenBSD 5.7.

tls_config_set_protocols(), tls_config_parse_protocols(), tls_config_set_dheparams(), and tls_config_set_ecdhecurve() appeared in OpenBSD 5.7, tls_config_prefer_ciphers_client() and tls_config_prefer_ciphers_server() in OpenBSD 5.9, and tls_config_set_alpn() in OpenBSD 6.1.

Authors

Joel Sing ⟨[email protected]⟩ with contributions from Ted Unangst ⟨[email protected]⟩ (tls_config_set_ciphers()) and Reyk Floeter ⟨[email protected]⟩ (tls_config_set_ecdhecurve())

From libretls 3.8.1-3 in Arch Linux 2026-11-01. Parsed by carta from the page's mdoc source.