Default SecurityProtocol in .NET 4.5

Question

What is the default security protocol for communicating with servers that support up to TLS 1.2? Will .NET by default, choose the highest security

Answer 1

Following code will:

• print enabled protocols
• print available protocols
• enable TLS1.2 if platform supports it and if it is not enabled to begin with
• disable SSL3 if it is enabled
• print end result

Constants:

• 48 is SSL3
• 192 is TLS1
• 768 is TLS1.1
• 3072 is TLS1.2

Other protocols will not be affected. This makes this compatible with future protocols (Tls1.3, etc).

Code

// print initial status
    Console.WriteLine("Runtime: " + System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(typeof(int).Assembly.Location).ProductVersion);
    Console.WriteLine("Enabled protocols:   " + ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol);
    Console.WriteLine("Available protocols: ");
    Boolean platformSupportsTls12 = false;
    foreach (SecurityProtocolType protocol in Enum.GetValues(typeof(SecurityProtocolType))) {                
        Console.WriteLine(protocol.GetHashCode());
        if (protocol.GetHashCode() == 3072){
            platformSupportsTls12 = true;
        }
    }
    Console.WriteLine("Is Tls12 enabled: " + ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol.HasFlag((SecurityProtocolType)3072));    


// enable Tls12, if possible
    if (!ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol.HasFlag((SecurityProtocolType)3072)){
        if (platformSupportsTls12){
            Console.WriteLine("Platform supports Tls12, but it is not enabled. Enabling it now.");
            ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol |= (SecurityProtocolType)3072;
        } else {
            Console.WriteLine("Platform does not supports Tls12.");
        }
    }

// disable ssl3
   if (ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol.HasFlag(SecurityProtocolType.Ssl3)) { 
      Console.WriteLine("Ssl3SSL3 is enabled. Disabling it now.");
      // disable SSL3. Has no negative impact if SSL3 is already disabled. The enclosing "if" if just for illustration.
      System.Net.ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol &= ~SecurityProtocolType.Ssl3;                      
   }
    Console.WriteLine("Enabled protocols:   " + ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol);

Output

Runtime: 4.7.2114.0
Enabled protocols:   Ssl3, Tls
Available protocols: 
0
48
192
768
3072
Is Tls12 enabled: False
Platform supports Tls12, but it is not enabled. Enabling it now.
Ssl3 is enabled. Disabling it now.
Enabled protocols:   Tls, Tls12