SSLv2 Weak Export Cipher Attack
SSLv2 Weak Export Cipher Attack was a vulnerability discovered in Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) version 2 protocol used to secure online communications. This vulnerability made it possible for attackers to decipher (decrypt) the encrypted data being transmitted over the internet.
The attack works by exploiting weaknesses inherent in the SSLv2 protocol’s weak 40-bit encryption algorithm. Attackers could intercept the encrypted transmission, and then use brute force techniques to systematically try every possible encryption key until they found the correct key to decrypt the data.
The weakness was particularly concerning because SSLv2 was widely used by many websites, and the vulnerability was found to affect numerous web servers and client applications, including widely used web browsers.
To mitigate this vulnerability, SSLv2 has been deprecated and is no longer recommended for use. Nowadays, SSLv3 and TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols are the most commonly used encryption protocols to secure online communications.