TLS protocol versions evolve to address security vulnerabilities. Modern websites should use TLS 1.2 or 1.3, while older versions pose security risks.
TLS Version History
SSL 2.0 and 3.0 are obsolete and insecure. TLS 1.0 (1999) and TLS 1.1 (2006) have known vulnerabilities and are deprecated by most browsers. TLS 1.2 (2008) remains widely supported and secure with proper configuration. TLS 1.3 (2018) is the current standard with improved security and performance.
Why TLS 1.3 Matters
TLS 1.3 removes legacy features that caused vulnerabilities, reduces handshake latency (faster connections), and simplifies configuration (fewer ways to misconfigure). It eliminates cipher suites with known weaknesses. Major browsers and servers support TLS 1.3, and new deployments should prioritize it.
Checking Your TLS Configuration
SSL checker APIs reveal which TLS versions your server supports. Ideally, support only TLS 1.2 and 1.3. If older versions are required for legacy clients, understand the security tradeoffs. Cloud providers and CDNs typically handle TLS configuration and keep it current.
Browser Compatibility
All modern browsers support TLS 1.2 and 1.3. IE 11 supports TLS 1.2 (with proper settings). Very old browsers (IE 8-10) may need TLS 1.0, but supporting them exposes security risks. Most sites can safely require TLS 1.2+ and cover 99%+ of users.