TLS 1.2 support

[ddblum]

Hello,

I am using Microsoft Windows 10 and Thunderbird 38.7.2 (I like this version very much). Do you know if I can have Thunderbird 38.7.2 works with TLS 1.2 without upgrading Thunderbird to a later version?

Dan

[tanstaafl]

I don't think you can. I found http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... #p14918953 where I said "Version 52.9.1 doesn't support TLS version 1.2." but didn't mention how I knew that. Look at security.tls.version.max using the config editor. If its not 2 or higher you're out of luck.

FYI version 102 was released today on the thunderbird.net web site. It won't be available via automatic updates probably for several weeks.

[ddblum]

I look at security.tls.version.max using the config editor. It says 1. Can I just put 2 instead of 1?

Otherwise if I switch to the version 102 and I dont like it how can I go back to the version 38.7.2?

[tanstaafl]

No. Editing the value doesn't make it understand the changes in the protocol.

It would be safest to install 102 in a different directory and then use tools -> import to import your old profile. The import wizard has been updated to know how to import a Thunderbird profile. When you first run 102 you will probably get a window on startup where it says you don't have any profiles that it supports (due to a annoying dedicated profile per installation feature they added in version 78), need to press the create profile button, abort the new account wizard, and then use tools -> import to import your old profile. Pressing the ALT key temporarily enables the menu toolbar.

It would have been much nicer if they displayed the tools -> import menu on startup.

A lot of things have changed since 38.7.2 (it was released over 6 years ago) so it will take you a while to adjust. None of your existing add-ons are supported (they changed from XUL/XPCOM to WebExtension API based add-ons during versions 60-78), Lightning and Enigmail is now in the core code (no longer an add-on), complete themes are no longer supported (light weight themes are still supported) and there are a good number of user interface changes.

https://blog.thunderbird.net/2022/06/th ... unication/

[ddblum]

So if I don't to upgrade, what are my options? There is no way to keep my beloved TB version and create a workaround to comply with the TLS 1.2?

[tanstaafl]

You could try to find a different email provider that doesn't require TLS 1.2, configure webmail to fetch mail from your old email provider, add a email account for the new email provider in Thunderbird, and create a multiple identity in the account for the old email address. That relies upon the new email provider making a connection to the POP server, fetching new mail and then merging it into its inbox, where Thunderbird will see it. The multiple identity lets you select the old email address when composing a new message, and causes Thunderbird to default to that email address when replying to email sent to that address.

Complicated, but that would let you fetch mail from your old email address and send/reply/forward using the old email address despite using a different email provider. Biggest downside (once its working) it you might have a 5-10 minute delay in getting new mail.

Or just switch to a different email provider that doesn't require TLS 1.2 and change email addresses.

Something to keep in mind is that you will eventually have to use TLS 1.2 or 1.3. When major browsers start dropping support for older versions it puts pressure on web sites to do the same. It makes no sense for a email provider to support different versions in webmail and their mail servers. https://www.zdnet.com/article/browsers- ... his-month/ (March 4, 2020)

A third option would be to install version 102 and customize it as much as you can.

I suggest you go to https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/ and try to use it to verify if your current email provider supports TLS 1.1 . I told it to test outlook.com for example

Protocols
TLS 1.3 No
TLS 1.2 Yes
TLS 1.1 No
TLS 1.0 No
SSL 3 No
SSL 2 No

[ddblum]

Thank you so much. Maybe I should just give the newest version of TB a try. In case it is not good, will it be easy to go back to my current older version without messing all my emails/folders?

[ddblum]

Thank you so much. Maybe I should just give the newest version of TB a try. In case it is not good, will it be easy to go back to my current older version without messing all my emails/folders?

[tanstaafl]

Its not going to be easy to go back to 38.7.2 if you reuse the same profile. I suggest you backup the profile and the profiles.ini file (two directories above it) first if you want to try a recent version. Its a lot easier to restore that than to undo the changes a recent version will make if you want to go back.

A recent version won't mess up your mail/folders, but it uses different files to store passwords and address books, uses different add-ons etc. It also modifies the syntax used in the profiles.ini file, which is used to find your profiles.

102.0.2 fixes a number of bugs but 102.* is still not ready for wide spread use (there are always problems with major new releases). So I'd suggest using 91.11.0 instead. The 64 bit Windows english-USA setup program for 91.11.0 is at http://download-origin.cdn.mozilla.net/ ... n64/en-US/

You could export your address books as .csv files , install 91.11.0 in a different directory, let it run the new account wizard when it starts, add the accounts, import the *.csv files to create address nooks, install the ImportExportTools NG add-on and use it to import your downloaded mail. Then you could safely try 91.11.0 with no risk to your existing data and take your time deciding which one you want to keep.