Provided by: libnss3-tools_3.98-0ubuntu0.23.10.1_amd64 
NAME
ssltap - Tap into SSL connections and display the data going by
SYNOPSIS
ssltap [-fhlsvx] [-p port] [hostname:port]
STATUS
This documentation is still work in progress. Please contribute to the initial review in
Mozilla NSS bug 836477[1]
DESCRIPTION
The SSL Debugging Tool ssltap is an SSL-aware command-line proxy. It watches TCP
connections and displays the data going by. If a connection is SSL, the data display
includes interpreted SSL records and handshaking
OPTIONS
-f
Turn on fancy printing. Output is printed in colored HTML. Data sent from the client
to the server is in blue; the server's reply is in red. When used with looping mode,
the different connections are separated with horizontal lines. You can use this option
to upload the output into a browser.
-h
Turn on hex/ASCII printing. Instead of outputting raw data, the command interprets
each record as a numbered line of hex values, followed by the same data as ASCII
characters. The two parts are separated by a vertical bar. Nonprinting characters are
replaced by dots.
-l prefix
Turn on looping; that is, continue to accept connections rather than stopping after
the first connection is complete.
-p port
Change the default rendezvous port (1924) to another port.
The following are well-known port numbers:
* HTTP 80
* HTTPS 443
* SMTP 25
* FTP 21
* IMAP 143
* IMAPS 993 (IMAP over SSL)
* NNTP 119
* NNTPS 563 (NNTP over SSL)
-s
Turn on SSL parsing and decoding. The tool does not automatically detect SSL sessions.
If you are intercepting an SSL connection, use this option so that the tool can detect
and decode SSL structures.
If the tool detects a certificate chain, it saves the DER-encoded certificates into
files in the current directory. The files are named cert.0x, where x is the sequence
number of the certificate.
If the -s option is used with -h, two separate parts are printed for each record: the
plain hex/ASCII output, and the parsed SSL output.
-v
Print a version string for the tool.
-x
Turn on extra SSL hex dumps.
USAGE AND EXAMPLES
You can use the SSL Debugging Tool to intercept any connection information. Although you
can run the tool at its most basic by issuing the ssltap command with no options other
than hostname:port, the information you get in this way is not very useful. For example,
assume your development machine is called intercept. The simplest way to use the debugging
tool is to execute the following command from a command shell:
$ ssltap www.netscape.com
The program waits for an incoming connection on the default port 1924. In your browser
window, enter the URL http://intercept:1924. The browser retrieves the requested page from
the server at www.netscape.com, but the page is intercepted and passed on to the browser
by the debugging tool on intercept. On its way to the browser, the data is printed to the
command shell from which you issued the command. Data sent from the client to the server
is surrounded by the following symbols: --> [ data ] Data sent from the server to the
client is surrounded by the following symbols: "left arrow"-- [ data ] The raw data stream
is sent to standard output and is not interpreted in any way. This can result in peculiar
effects, such as sounds, flashes, and even crashes of the command shell window. To output
a basic, printable interpretation of the data, use the -h option, or, if you are looking
at an SSL connection, the -s option. You will notice that the page you retrieved looks
incomplete in the browser. This is because, by default, the tool closes down after the
first connection is complete, so the browser is not able to load images. To make the tool
continue to accept connections, switch on looping mode with the -l option. The following
examples show the output from commonly used combinations of options.
Example 1
$ ssltap.exe -sx -p 444 interzone.mcom.com:443 > sx.txt
Output
Connected to interzone.mcom.com:443
-->; [
alloclen = 66 bytes
[ssl2] ClientHelloV2 {
version = {0x03, 0x00}
cipher-specs-length = 39 (0x27)
sid-length = 0 (0x00)
challenge-length = 16 (0x10)
cipher-suites = {
(0x010080) SSL2/RSA/RC4-128/MD5
(0x020080) SSL2/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
(0x030080) SSL2/RSA/RC2CBC128/MD5
(0x040080) SSL2/RSA/RC2CBC40/MD5
(0x060040) SSL2/RSA/DES64CBC/MD5
(0x0700c0) SSL2/RSA/3DES192EDE-CBC/MD5
(0x000004) SSL3/RSA/RC4-128/MD5
(0x00ffe0) SSL3/RSA-FIPS/3DES192EDE-CBC/SHA
(0x00000a) SSL3/RSA/3DES192EDE-CBC/SHA
(0x00ffe1) SSL3/RSA-FIPS/DES64CBC/SHA
(0x000009) SSL3/RSA/DES64CBC/SHA
(0x000003) SSL3/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
(0x000006) SSL3/RSA/RC2CBC40/MD5
}
session-id = { }
challenge = { 0xec5d 0x8edb 0x37c9 0xb5c9 0x7b70 0x8fe9 0xd1d3
0x2592 }
}
]
<-- [
SSLRecord {
0: 16 03 00 03 e5 |.....
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 997 (0x3e5)
handshake {
0: 02 00 00 46 |...F
type = 2 (server_hello)
length = 70 (0x000046)
ServerHello {
server_version = {3, 0}
random = {...}
0: 77 8c 6e 26 6c 0c ec c0 d9 58 4f 47 d3 2d 01 45 |
wn&l.ì..XOG.-.E
10: 5c 17 75 43 a7 4c 88 c7 88 64 3c 50 41 48 4f 7f |
\.uC§L.Ç.d<PAHO.
session ID = {
length = 32
contents = {..}
0: 14 11 07 a8 2a 31 91 29 11 94 40 37 57 10 a7 32 | ...¨*1.)..@7W.§2
10: 56 6f 52 62 fe 3d b3 65 b1 e4 13 0f 52 a3 c8 f6 | VoRbþ=³e±...R£È.
}
cipher_suite = (0x0003) SSL3/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
}
0: 0b 00 02 c5 |...Å
type = 11 (certificate)
length = 709 (0x0002c5)
CertificateChain {
chainlength = 706 (0x02c2)
Certificate {
size = 703 (0x02bf)
data = { saved in file 'cert.001' }
}
}
0: 0c 00 00 ca |....
type = 12 (server_key_exchange)
length = 202 (0x0000ca)
0: 0e 00 00 00 |....
type = 14 (server_hello_done)
length = 0 (0x000000)
}
}
]
--> [
SSLRecord {
0: 16 03 00 00 44 |....D
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 68 (0x44)
handshake {
0: 10 00 00 40 |...@
type = 16 (client_key_exchange)
length = 64 (0x000040)
ClientKeyExchange {
message = {...}
}
}
}
]
--> [
SSLRecord {
0: 14 03 00 00 01 |.....
type = 20 (change_cipher_spec)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 1 (0x1)
0: 01 |.
}
SSLRecord {
0: 16 03 00 00 38 |....8
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 56 (0x38)
< encrypted >
}
]
<-- [
SSLRecord {
0: 14 03 00 00 01 |.....
type = 20 (change_cipher_spec)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 1 (0x1)
0: 01 |.
}
]
<-- [
SSLRecord {
0: 16 03 00 00 38 |....8
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 56 (0x38)
< encrypted >
}
]
--> [
SSLRecord {
0: 17 03 00 01 1f |.....
type = 23 (application_data)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 287 (0x11f)
< encrypted >
}
]
<-- [
SSLRecord {
0: 17 03 00 00 a0 |....
type = 23 (application_data)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 160 (0xa0)
< encrypted >
}
]
<-- [
SSLRecord {
0: 17 03 00 00 df |....ß
type = 23 (application_data)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 223 (0xdf)
< encrypted >
}
SSLRecord {
0: 15 03 00 00 12 |.....
type = 21 (alert)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 18 (0x12)
< encrypted >
}
]
Server socket closed.
Example 2
The -s option turns on SSL parsing. Because the -x option is not used in this example,
undecoded values are output as raw data. The output is routed to a text file.
$ ssltap -s -p 444 interzone.mcom.com:443 > s.txt
Output
Connected to interzone.mcom.com:443
--> [
alloclen = 63 bytes
[ssl2] ClientHelloV2 {
version = {0x03, 0x00}
cipher-specs-length = 36 (0x24)
sid-length = 0 (0x00)
challenge-length = 16 (0x10)
cipher-suites = {
(0x010080) SSL2/RSA/RC4-128/MD5
(0x020080) SSL2/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
(0x030080) SSL2/RSA/RC2CBC128/MD5
(0x060040) SSL2/RSA/DES64CBC/MD5
(0x0700c0) SSL2/RSA/3DES192EDE-CBC/MD5
(0x000004) SSL3/RSA/RC4-128/MD5
(0x00ffe0) SSL3/RSA-FIPS/3DES192EDE-CBC/SHA
(0x00000a) SSL3/RSA/3DES192EDE-CBC/SHA
(0x00ffe1) SSL3/RSA-FIPS/DES64CBC/SHA
(0x000009) SSL3/RSA/DES64CBC/SHA
(0x000003) SSL3/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
}
session-id = { }
challenge = { 0x713c 0x9338 0x30e1 0xf8d6 0xb934 0x7351 0x200c
0x3fd0 }
]
>-- [
SSLRecord {
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 997 (0x3e5)
handshake {
type = 2 (server_hello)
length = 70 (0x000046)
ServerHello {
server_version = {3, 0}
random = {...}
session ID = {
length = 32
contents = {..}
}
cipher_suite = (0x0003) SSL3/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
}
type = 11 (certificate)
length = 709 (0x0002c5)
CertificateChain {
chainlength = 706 (0x02c2)
Certificate {
size = 703 (0x02bf)
data = { saved in file 'cert.001' }
}
}
type = 12 (server_key_exchange)
length = 202 (0x0000ca)
type = 14 (server_hello_done)
length = 0 (0x000000)
}
}
]
--> [
SSLRecord {
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 68 (0x44)
handshake {
type = 16 (client_key_exchange)
length = 64 (0x000040)
ClientKeyExchange {
message = {...}
}
}
}
]
--> [
SSLRecord {
type = 20 (change_cipher_spec)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 1 (0x1)
}
SSLRecord {
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 56 (0x38)
> encrypted >
}
]
>-- [
SSLRecord {
type = 20 (change_cipher_spec)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 1 (0x1)
}
]
>-- [
SSLRecord {
type = 22 (handshake)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 56 (0x38)
> encrypted >
}
]
--> [
SSLRecord {
type = 23 (application_data)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 287 (0x11f)
> encrypted >
}
]
[
SSLRecord {
type = 23 (application_data)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 160 (0xa0)
> encrypted >
}
]
>-- [
SSLRecord {
type = 23 (application_data)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 223 (0xdf)
> encrypted >
}
SSLRecord {
type = 21 (alert)
version = { 3,0 }
length = 18 (0x12)
> encrypted >
}
]
Server socket closed.
Example 3
In this example, the -h option turns hex/ASCII format. There is no SSL parsing or
decoding. The output is routed to a text file.
$ ssltap -h -p 444 interzone.mcom.com:443 > h.txt
Output
Connected to interzone.mcom.com:443
--> [
0: 80 40 01 03 00 00 27 00 00 00 10 01 00 80 02 00 | .@....'.........
10: 80 03 00 80 04 00 80 06 00 40 07 00 c0 00 00 04 | .........@......
20: 00 ff e0 00 00 0a 00 ff e1 00 00 09 00 00 03 00 | ........á.......
30: 00 06 9b fe 5b 56 96 49 1f 9f ca dd d5 ba b9 52 | ..þ[V.I.\xd9 ...º¹R
40: 6f 2d |o-
]
<-- [
0: 16 03 00 03 e5 02 00 00 46 03 00 7f e5 0d 1b 1d | ........F.......
10: 68 7f 3a 79 60 d5 17 3c 1d 9c 96 b3 88 d2 69 3b | h.:y`..<..³.Òi;
20: 78 e2 4b 8b a6 52 12 4b 46 e8 c2 20 14 11 89 05 | x.K.¦R.KFè. ...
30: 4d 52 91 fd 93 e0 51 48 91 90 08 96 c1 b6 76 77 | MR.ý..QH.....¶vw
40: 2a f4 00 08 a1 06 61 a2 64 1f 2e 9b 00 03 00 0b | *ô..¡.a¢d......
50: 00 02 c5 00 02 c2 00 02 bf 30 82 02 bb 30 82 02 | ..Å......0...0..
60: 24 a0 03 02 01 02 02 02 01 36 30 0d 06 09 2a 86 | $ .......60...*.
70: 48 86 f7 0d 01 01 04 05 00 30 77 31 0b 30 09 06 | H.÷......0w1.0..
80: 03 55 04 06 13 02 55 53 31 2c 30 2a 06 03 55 04 | .U....US1,0*..U.
90: 0a 13 23 4e 65 74 73 63 61 70 65 20 43 6f 6d 6d | ..#Netscape Comm
a0: 75 6e 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 43 6f 72 70 6f | unications Corpo
b0: 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 31 11 30 0f 06 03 55 04 0b 13 | ration1.0...U...
c0: 08 48 61 72 64 63 6f 72 65 31 27 30 25 06 03 55 | .Hardcore1'0%..U
d0: 04 03 13 1e 48 61 72 64 63 6f 72 65 20 43 65 72 | ....Hardcore Cer
e0: 74 69 66 69 63 61 74 65 20 53 65 72 76 65 72 20 | tificate Server
f0: 49 49 30 1e 17 0d 39 38 30 35 31 36 30 31 30 33 | II0...9805160103
<additional data lines>
]
<additional records in same format>
Server socket closed.
Example 4
In this example, the -s option turns on SSL parsing, and the -h option turns on hex/ASCII
format. Both formats are shown for each record. The output is routed to a text file.
$ ssltap -hs -p 444 interzone.mcom.com:443 > hs.txt
Output
Connected to interzone.mcom.com:443
--> [
0: 80 3d 01 03 00 00 24 00 00 00 10 01 00 80 02 00 | .=....$.........
10: 80 03 00 80 04 00 80 06 00 40 07 00 c0 00 00 04 | .........@......
20: 00 ff e0 00 00 0a 00 ff e1 00 00 09 00 00 03 03 | ........á.......
30: 55 e6 e4 99 79 c7 d7 2c 86 78 96 5d b5 cf e9 |U..yÇ\xb0 ,.x.]µÏé
alloclen = 63 bytes
[ssl2] ClientHelloV2 {
version = {0x03, 0x00}
cipher-specs-length = 36 (0x24)
sid-length = 0 (0x00)
challenge-length = 16 (0x10)
cipher-suites = {
(0x010080) SSL2/RSA/RC4-128/MD5
(0x020080) SSL2/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
(0x030080) SSL2/RSA/RC2CBC128/MD5
(0x040080) SSL2/RSA/RC2CBC40/MD5
(0x060040) SSL2/RSA/DES64CBC/MD5
(0x0700c0) SSL2/RSA/3DES192EDE-CBC/MD5
(0x000004) SSL3/RSA/RC4-128/MD5
(0x00ffe0) SSL3/RSA-FIPS/3DES192EDE-CBC/SHA
(0x00000a) SSL3/RSA/3DES192EDE-CBC/SHA
(0x00ffe1) SSL3/RSA-FIPS/DES64CBC/SHA
(0x000009) SSL3/RSA/DES64CBC/SHA
(0x000003) SSL3/RSA/RC4-40/MD5
}
session-id = { }
challenge = { 0x0355 0xe6e4 0x9979 0xc7d7 0x2c86 0x7896 0x5db
0xcfe9 }
}
]
<additional records in same formats>
Server socket closed.
USAGE TIPS
When SSL restarts a previous session, it makes use of cached information to do a partial
handshake. If you wish to capture a full SSL handshake, restart the browser to clear the
session id cache.
If you run the tool on a machine other than the SSL server to which you are trying to
connect, the browser will complain that the host name you are trying to connect to is
different from the certificate. If you are using the default BadCert callback, you can
still connect through a dialog. If you are not using the default BadCert callback, the one
you supply must allow for this possibility.
SEE ALSO
The NSS Security Tools are also documented at
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/[2].
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For information about NSS and other tools related to NSS (like JSS), check out the NSS
project wiki at http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/. The NSS site relates
directly to NSS code changes and releases.
Mailing lists: https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-tech-crypto
IRC: Freenode at #dogtag-pki
AUTHORS
The NSS tools were written and maintained by developers with Netscape, Red Hat, Sun,
Oracle, Mozilla, and Google.
Authors: Elio Maldonado <emaldona@redhat.com>, Deon Lackey <dlackey@redhat.com>.
LICENSE
Licensed under the Mozilla Public License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not
distributed with this file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
NOTES
1. Mozilla NSS bug 836477
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=836477
2. http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/tools