To ensure the security and stability of our services, we’d like to share with you that we are officially deprecating support for TLS 1.0 and 1.1 in our platform. As of the end of March 2025, we will exclusively support TLS 1.2 for SMTP, API, and inbound notifications. This update is a part of our ongoing commitment to enhance the protection of your encrypted communications and keep pace with modern security standards.
What is TLS?
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol that secures data as it is transmitted over computer networks. It ensures confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. TLS is the successor to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), with enhanced security and performance. While many people still refer to this technology as “SSL”, TLS has actually replaced SSL entirely, with the last SSL version (3.0) being deprecated in 2015.
The protocol is crucial for securing various types of internet communication, including web browsing (HTTPS), email (SMTP/TLS), instant messaging, and voice-over IP (VoIP). When you see a padlock icon in your browser's address bar, that's TLS at work.
Why is retiring TLS 1.0 and 1.1 necessary?
The retirement of TLS 1.0 and 1.1 is driven by several critical security considerations. First of all, these older versions (released in 1991 and 2006 respectively) no longer meet the security requirements of today’s digital environment. Both versions are vulnerable to attacks and lack support for modern cryptographic algorithms, making them unsuitable for continued use.
Major browser vendors and technology companies have already begun phasing out support. Also, industry regulations increasingly require the use of TLS 1.2 or higher.
By retiring these outdated TLS versions, we aim to:
- enhance data security for your SMTP and API interactions,
- protect against vulnerabilities associated with legacy protocols,
- ensure compliance with industry best practices.
Benefits of upgrading to TLS 1.2
TLS 1.2 offers significant improvements over its predecessors. Most importantly, it provides robust security for sensitive data transmission and ensures a stable email delivery service. It also helps protect your business and customers from potential security breaches.
In more detail, here are the main benefits of upgrading to TLS 1.2:
- Stronger encryption - support for modern cipher suites
- Enhanced protection against various types of cyber attacks
- Improved performance and efficiency, especially in high-traffic environments
- Better compatibility with current security standards and requirements
What do you need to do to upgrade to TLS 1.2?
To maintain uninterrupted and secure service, review your SMTP and/or API integrations and start the upgrading process well before the end of March 2025. Remember to test your integrations thoroughly after implementing TLS 1.2 and keep your security certificates up to date.
If you use Windows-based systems, Microsoft provides official resources to assist in migrating to TLS 1.2 for Azure Resource Manager and enabling TLS 1.2 in Configuration Manager.
Support and resources
This transition to TLS 1.2 is a necessary step in safeguarding your data and maintaining the reliability of your services. While the upgrade may require minor adjustments to your infrastructure, the benefits—stronger encryption, better performance, and enhanced security—make it well worth the effort. We appreciate your cooperation in this important security upgrade.
If you need assistance with this transition, our support team is here to help. They are available to you 24/7 via email at support@elasticemail.com or website messenger app, which you can find in the bottom right corner of our website and platform. We understand that security upgrades can be complex, and we're committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for all our users.
Ula Chwesiuk
Ula is a content creator at Elastic Email. She is passionate about marketing, creative writing and language learning. Outside of work, Ula likes to travel, try new recipes and go to concerts.
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