License Manager discontinues support of TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 encryption protocols

First Published:09/21/2023

Last Updated:10/09/2023

Overview

As part of our ongoing commitment to security, we are discontinuing support for the TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 encryption protocols in our license manager. This will cause GEN 5 and GEN 6 firewalls running older firmware to not communicate with the license manager leading to licensing issues. The firewall will not be able to validate its license or obtain necessary updates resulting in a licensing failure. The firewall will operate with reduced functionality or disable certain advanced features that require periodic license validation or updates.

Examples of services that will no longer function properly include:

Capture Advanced Threat Protection
Gateway Anti-Malware
Intrusion Prevention
Application Control

These licensed features will no longer work as expected. Critical security updates, threat intelligence updates, or other important updates may not be applied, potentially leaving the network vulnerable to emerging threats.

Discontinuing TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 is in line with industry best practices and aims to enhance the security of data transmission between your systems and our servers. To ensure uninterrupted service and data security, it's important to upgrade your firewall to use TLS 1.2 or higher.

Product Impact

All GEN 5 and GEN 6 appliances running an older firmware will be affected when support for TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 encryption protocols are disabled.

Remediation

SonicWall strongly recommends upgrading the firewall's firmware to the latest version to maintain a secure connection with our license manager, as the latest firmware has the support of encryption protocols TLS 1.2 or later.

Impacted Platforms	Recommended Firmware Version	Minimum Firmware Version
Gen 5	SonicOS 5.9.2.13	SonicOS 5.9.2.x
Gen 6	SonicOS 6.5.4.12-101n	SonicOS 6.2.9.x

Timeline

The support for TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 will be disabled on October 31, 2023. After this date, connections using these protocols will be rejected by our license manager.
Ensure that your systems are upgraded and ready to use TLS 1.2 or higher before the mentioned date to prevent disruption of service.

Product Migration Option

SonicWall has released the GEN 7 hardware which has been designed to take your experience to new heights, offering unparalleled performance, stunning visuals, and cutting-edge features that will revolutionize the way you interact with our products. As SonicWall customers you are eligible for the secure upgrade to the next generation of hardware. For details, please review our Secure upgrade program

Related information

How can I upgrade SonicOS Firmware?

NOTE: If you do not have an active support contract or need assistance on GEN 7 upgrade options, please contact renewals@sonicwall.com. If you have any questions about the process, please do not hesitate to contact SonicWall support for assistance. Our support team is available to provide guidance and address any concerns you may have.