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Hot To Enable TLS 1.2 in Windows Server 2008 or 2016

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Hot To Enable TLS 1.2 in Windows Server 2008 or 2016

We previously had a post that handled this solutions called: How to Enable TLS 1.2 on Windows 2008 R2

This post is an update to how the enable and Mange TLS 1.2 on Windows Servers. The reason for the update is because we now use a free tool when we are managing our servers. But first some background. 

What you need to know about TLS 1.2

According to…
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/SecAuthN/protocols-in-tls-ssl–schannel-ssp-

TLS 1.2 client and server are enabled by default.

But…

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/cb1a695b-a15c-4fa7-94f0-1aaa20c1279d/enabling-tls-12-on-windows-server-2012-amp-2016?forum=winserversecurity

…says

Turns out it is, but not enabled for SCHANNEL service

Hence you MUST follow…

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-fs/operations/manage-ssl-protocols-in-ad-fs#enable-and-disable-tls-12

Please articulate this! Say…

You can enable and disable SSL 2.0 and 3.0 and TLS versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2 using Manage SSL Protocols in AD FS. On Windows Server 2016, to use TLS 1.2, you must explicity enable it by following instructions at [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-fs/operations/manage-ssl-protocols-in-ad-fs#enable-and-disable-tls-12]

Source: GitHub

So the New Solution

We use the tool from Nartac Software called IIS crypto.

Screenshot1

This tool allows for easy configuration of Windows Servers to support the TLS 1.2 standard.

There are simple instructions to follow, but basically the solution is to implement the template for the Best Practise for Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016 and Later.

Recommended Settings

Microsoft has renamed most of cipher suites for Windows Server 2016. We list both sets below.

Windows Server 2016 and higher:

TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA

 

Windows Server 2012 R2 and lower:

TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384_P521
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384_P384
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384_P256
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256_P521
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256_P384
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256_P256
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA_P521
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA_P384
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA_P256
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA_P521
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA_P384
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA_P256
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384_P521
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384_P384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256_P521
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256_P384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256_P256
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384_P521
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384_P384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256_P521
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256_P384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256_P256
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA_P521
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA_P384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA_P256
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA_P521
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA_P384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA_P256
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA

This tool allows you to easily configure servers like Microsoft Exchange Server, and IIS Web Hosting Servers to support TLS as it should be configured.

Enjoy!

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