solidDB supports using SSL connections to encrypt client/server communication. This requires that OpenSSL is installed on both client and server systems, see Installing and configuring the OpenSSL toolkit.

If OpenSSL is available, the solidDB server listens for SSL connections (that use the protocol name 'tls') on the TCP port or ports that are defined in the [Com] section of the solid.ini file.

TLS is a protocol that uses encryption algorithms to ensure that data received over a public network can be trusted. TLS also incorporates algorithms that provide identity verification by using the X509 standard. X509 assumes a strict hierarchical system of certificate authorities (CAs) for issuing the certificates, hence ensuring the identity of someone on the Internet. Certificates rely on asymmetric encryption algorithms that have two encryption keys, a public key and a secret key. A certificate owner can provide the certificate to another party as proof of identity. The certificate consists of the public key of the owner. Data that is encrypted with this public key can be decrypted only by using the corresponding secret key, which is held by the owner of the certificate.

To use the TLS protocol, select tls as the protocol and enter a port number.