Edit File: README.ssl
SSL support for Lynx 2.8.5pre.1 -- adapted from http://www.mentovai.com/lynx/ Lynx, in its unmodified form, will not allow you to make secure socket layer (SSL) connections. SSL is used for the secure transfer of information over the Internet. Many sites are now requiring SSL to ensure security for themselves and their users. With a version of Lynx modified to support SSL, Lynx users can now visit these sites with ease as well. The SSL configure option (--with-ssl) for Lynx provides the ability to make use of SSL over HTTP for secure access to web sites (HTTPS) and over NNTP for secure access to news servers (SNEWS). SSL is handled transparently, allowing users to continue accessing web sites and news services from within Lynx through the same interface for both secure and standard transfers. This is based on, and requires, the OpenSSL library. OpenSSL's distribution and use may be restricted by licenses and laws. For information on obtaining OpenSSL, as well as information on its distribution, see http://www.openssl.org/ The main distribution site is at ftp://ftp.openssl.org/source/ Lynx also has experimental support for GnuTLS (configure option --with-gnutls). For information on GnuTLS, see http://www.gnu.org/software/gnutls/ To test your version of Lynx for SSL support, try it out with an SSL site. Below are secure (https) pages which will load if your browser contains SSL support and you accept their certificates; they give you some information about the connection. https://www.gnutls.org:5555/ https://www2.ggn.net/cgi-bin/ssl Lynx will complain about the certificate, since the certificate presented is untrusted. You may accept this certificate to test your configuration, since it is a test, but it is a bad idea to blindly accept certificates from unknown websites if you are transmitting form data or files. You should review the document README.sslcerts for a detailed discussion of correct certificate handling possibilities and procedures in lynx. Users are reminded to check the laws and regulations about encryption software in their own countries. Here is the URL for US notification rules: http://www.bxa.doc.gov/Encryption/PubAvailEncSourceCodeNofify.html Note that that isn't a typo; it really is "Nofify". The site contains links to the full EAR regulations. Lynx is GPL'd, for our own use it falls under the regulations in EAR section 740.13(e)(1): (1) Encryption source code controlled under 5D002, which would be considered publicly available under section 734.3(b)(3) and which is not subject an express agreement for the payment a licensing fee or royalty for commercial production or sale of any product developed with the source code, is released from EI controls and may be exported or reexported without review under License Exception TSU, provided you have submitted written notification to BXA of the Internet location (e.g., URL or Internet address) or a copy of source code by the time of export.