RE: Using TLS1.2 with IBMi custom agent software -- MIDRANGE-L

To rewrite the client to use HTTPAPI or GETURI, I'm assuming they would need to rewrite the server (is that a valid assumption?) which I'm sure they will not do because it communicates with other clients that would also have to be rewritten.

The current logic is using procedures like

opnskt pr 10i 0 extproc('socket')
bind pr 10i 0 extproc('bind')
connect pr 10i 0 extproc('connect')
listen pr 10i 0 extproc('listen')
accept pr 10i 0 extproc('accept')
send pr 10i 0 extproc('send')

Since it is currently using the above procedures, is changing it to use TLS1.2 via the IBMi APIs going to be really painful and time consuming (and thus expensive) and I should try to talk them out of it?

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Brad Stone
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:28 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Using TLS1.2 with IBMi custom agent software

Yes. Your client application needs to use socket APIs for any communication. It does already, correct? If not, how is it communicating? HTTPAPI? GETURI? SQL? Something else?

If SSL is required, then you need to use the SSL versions of those socket APIs instead of the basic ones... and yes, the GSKit APIs.. IBM has basically said they aren't updating the older SSL APIs any more.

It would probably be easier to rewrite the client app to use HTTPAPI or GETURI as it's a little complicated.

On Wed, Nov 26, 2025 at 12:20 PM <smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

They are currently not using any encryption at all. It is clear text
only. They want to add TLS1.2 encryption.

You said "The SSL APIs used in the agent should handle all that".
Since there are currently no SSL APIs in the program, it sounds like
the piece that I have been missing in my search is that I need to add
some SSL API logic to the program. Is that a correct deduction?

I never thought about the TLS logic being API stuff (duh). Searching
for "IBMi TLS API", I see stuff about GSKit. Is that the direction
that I need to go for TLS1.2?

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of
Brad Stone
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:59 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Using TLS1.2 with IBMi custom agent software

So you're not using TLS if there's no encryption. If you're saying
they are wanting to use TLS, my answer still stands.

On Wed, Nov 26, 2025 at 11:17 AM <smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Wow, I missed a key piece of info in that. Currently there is no
encryption. They are talking clear text.

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf
Of Brad Stone
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:15 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Using TLS1.2 with IBMi custom agent software

The SSL APIs used in the agent should handle all that. If you have
TLS set up properly and your QSSL* system values set up right and
are on V7R3 or above, the only thing you may need to do is import
the CA chain used by the certificate on the server.

On Wed, Nov 26, 2025 at 11:10 AM <smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I have a client that has a custom server / agent software package.
The server runs on windows. The agent runs on the IBMi and some
other platforms. They want to add TLS1.2 protocol to the
communication and I have to do the IBMi side. I'm apparently not
googling with the right keywords because I'm not finding any
details on how to implement it. Are there code changes that need
to be made? It is just a different port and the encryption /
decryption

automatically happens?

I'm lost. Can someone point me in the right direction for what
changes have to be made to the IBMi agent for TLS1.2? I'll take
web links, keywords for google searches, of anything else that get
me heading in the right direction. I am open to doing a teams
meeting if that would be easier. Just send me an offline request
with times that you are available.

Thanks in advance.

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