• The handshake protocol of SSL is the first sub-protocol used by the client & the server to communicate using on SSL enabled connection.

  • The handshake protocol is actually made up of four phases.

a. Establish security capabilities.

b. Server authentication & key exchange.

c. Client authentication & key exchange.

d. Finish

i. Phase 1: Establish Security Capabilities:

• This phase is used to indicate a logical connections and establish the security that connection.

• This consists of two messages , the 'Client' 'hello' & their server hello.

This phase is limited by the client by sending a client Hello message.

ii. Phase-2: Server authentication & key exchange

In this phase the server initiates the communication:

• The server first sends its over digital certificates to the client in phase 1.

• The server requests for digital certificate however this request is optional.

• The server Hello done message indicates the client that the server process of Hello message is complete after sending all these messages , the server waits for the clients response.

iii. Phase 3: Client authentication & key change

This phase is initiated by the client

• The client sends its own certificate to the server, if & only if the server has required it.

• The client generated a symmetric key which has the parties will use during the session it is called as master key secret & the client encrypts it the server's public key & then it sends to the server.

• This step is for client authentication for this client continues the master key secret with the random number which was agreed by the client & server earlier to generate a hash & the client signs it with its over private key .

iv. Phase-4: Finish

• This phase is initiated by the client.

• The client sends a finish message to the server & server sends finish message to client.