-v</code>'' command which provides a nice way to successively create the
correct <em>cipher-spec</em> string. The default <em>cipher-spec</em> string
depends on the version of the OpenSSL libraries used. Let's suppose it is
-``<code>ALL:!aNULL:RC4+RSA:+HIGH:+MEDIUM:+LOW:+SSLv2:+EXP</code>'' which
-means the following: first, remove from consideration any ciphers that do not
-authenticate, i.e. for SSL the Anonymous Diffie-Hellman ciphers. Next,
-use ciphers using RC4 and RSA. Next include the high, medium and then the low
-security ciphers. Finally <em>pull</em> all SSLv2 and export ciphers to the
-end of the list.</p>
+``<code>RC4-SHA:AES128-SHA:HIGH:MEDIUM:!aNULL:!MD5</code>'' which
+means the following: Put <code>RC4-SHA</code> and <code>AES128-SHA</code> at
+the beginning. We do this, because these ciphers offer a good compromise
+between speed and security. Next, include high and medium security ciphers.
+Finally, remove all ciphers which do not authenticate, i.e. for SSL the
+Anonymous Diffie-Hellman ciphers, as well as all ciphers which use
+<code>MD5</code> as hash algorithm, because it has been proven insufficient.</p>
<example>
<pre>
-$ openssl ciphers -v 'ALL:!ADH:RC4+RSA:+HIGH:+MEDIUM:+LOW:+SSLv2:+EXP'
-NULL-SHA SSLv3 Kx=RSA Au=RSA Enc=None Mac=SHA1
-NULL-MD5 SSLv3 Kx=RSA Au=RSA Enc=None Mac=MD5
-EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA SSLv3 Kx=DH Au=RSA Enc=3DES(168) Mac=SHA1
+$ openssl ciphers -v 'RC4-SHA:AES128-SHA:HIGH:MEDIUM:!aNULL:!MD5'
+RC4-SHA SSLv3 Kx=RSA Au=RSA Enc=RC4(128) Mac=SHA1
+AES128-SHA SSLv3 Kx=RSA Au=RSA Enc=AES(128) Mac=SHA1
+DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA SSLv3 Kx=DH Au=RSA Enc=AES(256) Mac=SHA1
... ... ... ... ...
-EXP-RC4-MD5 SSLv3 Kx=RSA(512) Au=RSA Enc=RC4(40) Mac=MD5 export
-EXP-RC2-CBC-MD5 SSLv2 Kx=RSA(512) Au=RSA Enc=RC2(40) Mac=MD5 export
-EXP-RC4-MD5 SSLv2 Kx=RSA(512) Au=RSA Enc=RC4(40) Mac=MD5 export
+SEED-SHA SSLv3 Kx=RSA Au=RSA Enc=SEED(128) Mac=SHA1
+PSK-RC4-SHA SSLv3 Kx=PSK Au=PSK Enc=RC4(128) Mac=SHA1
+KRB5-RC4-SHA SSLv3 Kx=KRB5 Au=KRB5 Enc=RC4(128) Mac=SHA1
</pre>
</example>
<p>The complete list of particular RSA & DH ciphers for SSL is given in <a