TLS

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Revision as of 08:35, 11 September 2020 by FPR (talk | contribs) (Fixed Alt+O under mIRC.)
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TLS (Transport Layer Security), also known as SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), is a method of encrypting your communications so that other parties cannot tamper with or read your messages. It is suggested that you connect to Rizon using encryption if possible. Instructions on how to do this are provided for many popular IRC clients below.

Connecting with SSL

Typically, your client will have a connection dialogue, which may:

  • ask you if you wish to connect with SSL as one of the options;
  • allow you to pass a -ssl argument as part of the connect command;
    Example: /connect -ssl irc.rizon.net 6697
  • or use a + in front of the port number.
    Example: /server irc.rizon.net +6697

All Rizon servers allow SSL connections on ports 6697 and 9999.


Setting up your client for SSL

You can connect securely to Rizon by setting your client to connect to irc.rizon.net with either port 6697 or port 9999. Client-specific instructions are listed below for your convenience.

mIRC

mIRC's official documentation can be found here.

The latest versions of mIRC now includes OpenSSL by default. To always enable it for Rizon:

  1. ToolsOptions... (or press Alt + O) to open the Options dialogue box.
  2. Go to ConnectServers.
  3. Under IRC Servers:, find and expand Rizon group, and select one of the connection items of that group; then, press Edit
  4. In the Ports: field, type in +6697,+9999. Then, press OK and (re)connect.

Alternatively, you can temporarily connect with SSL by typing /server irc.rizon.net +6697 or  /server -e irc.rizon.net 6697

Kiwi IRC

  1. This first step is optional, but crucial to maintain secure connections at all parts.
    Be sure that you've browsed to KiwiIRC using secure HTTPS; i.e., https://kiwiirc.com/
  2. Secure connection to Rizon network is pre-set on KiwiIRC (by the time of updating these guides). So, directly select RIZON off KiwiIRC home page, where you get to type in your nick (and password, if registered with Rizon), before you press Start


Mibbit

SSL can be used via Mibbit by clicking on the Server link on the connection dialogue, and by using +6697 as the port.

QWebIRC

Rizon's QWebIRC automatically uses SSL when connecting via https.

IRCCloud

IRCCloud is using a secure connection by default. You can verify this by editing the network — the checkbox named Secure port has to be enabled, and the Port field has to be either 6697 or 9999

HexChat

To ensure that you are connecting via SSL you can enable the checkbox named Use SSL for all the servers on this network, and disable Accept invalid SSL certificate by editing the network details in the network list. Make sure that, if HexChat is set to connect to a specific port that it's either 6697 or 9999; e.g., irc.rizon.net/6697

Irssi

To make sure Irssi uses SSL and verifies the authenticity of the certificate, you need to enable certificate verification. You can do this by connecting using the -ssl -ssl_verify flags. Users of version Irssi >= 0.8.21 are encouraged to use -tls -tls_verify instead.

WeeChat

To make sure WeeChat verifies certificates, you'll need to use the following:

  • -ssl_verify on both /server and /connect commands.
  • /set irc.server.SERVERNAME.ssl_verify true via either /iset or /set commands.

You'd then use irc.rizon.net/6697 or irc.rizon.net/9999 as the server address.

KVIrc

You can pass the -s flag upon connecting, in order to connect using SSL. The full command will look like this: /server -s irc.rizon.net

ZNC

Using the webpanel

  1. After logging in to the webpanel, go to Your SettingsNetworksEdit.
  2. Make sure Servers of this IRC network is set to irc.rizon.net:+6697.

You may need to reconnect your client to activate the new settings. You can do this by typing /znc jump after connecting to your ZNC.


Ensuring both sides are SSL

The instructions above make sure you are connected to the IRC network using SSL. To make sure your connection to your ZNC is using SSL as well, log in to the webpanel as administrator, go to Global SettingsListen Port(s), and make sure that the SSL checkbox is ticked. You can now connect using SSL to your ZNC on that port.


RizonBNC

RizonBNC allows SSL connections via port 12345 only.


Verify if SSL is in use

When you followed the steps above and still asking yourself if you are connecting with SSL you can use the /whois Nick command, where Nick is your username. An example output can be found here:

Nick is user@Rizon-ABCDEF.example.com * *
Nick on #Rizon
Nick using irc.rizon.net - Where are you?
Nick is using a secure connection
Nick is using modes +ix authflags: [none]
Nick is actually user@xyz.example.com [192.0.2.10]
Nick has been idle 2mins 8secs, signed on Wed Dec 03 03:57:45
Nick End of /WHOIS list.

You should see the following line:

Nick is using a secure connection


SSL only channels

Channels can be set to only allow users that are connected using a secure connection. This can be enabled by setting the channel mode +S.

Users not using a secure connection, that attempt to join the channel, will get an error message like this one:

#chat Cannot join channel (+S)

SSL Certificates for use with CertFP or SASL

SSL (client) certificates can be used to automatically identify with NickServ. This is a separate concept than what is discussed in this article. Read more about this on the CertFP or SASL EXTERNAL page.