OSD Website to No Longer Support Transport Layer Security Versions 1.0 and 1.1

Summary

On April 1, 2021, the Commission will require Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2 or higher to connect to SEC websites, including the Office of Structured Disclosure (OSD) website, and end support for TLS versions 1.0 and 1.1.  This change will enhance the security of connections to SEC websites in accordance with industry best practices.

Users should upgrade to browsers that utilize TLS 1.2 or higher and update their automated scripts accordingly to connect and view data on the OSD website.

What is Transport Layer Security?

TLS is a protocol that allows data to be securely exchanged over the Internet. TLS encrypts browser communications with websites. The majority of websites and Internet services use TLS to keep data safe as it transits the Internet.

There are currently four versions of TLS: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. Using the latest version is preferred, as it is generally the most secure and efficient. However, to allow for backwards compatibility with old browsers many websites support older versions as well. This is now changing, and most websites are dropping support for old TLS versions.

Popular browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox) removed support for TLS versions 1.0 and 1.1 in March 2020.