SSL_GET_CURRENT_CIPHER(3)

💅 SSL_GET_CURRENT_CIPHER(3) 💅

okay so welcome to the Library Functions Manual entry for SSL_GET_CURRENT_CIPHER(3) — cipher check-in time, bestie ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

SSL_get_current_cipher, SSL_get_cipher, SSL_get_cipher_name, SSL_get_cipher_bits, SSL_get_cipher_version — get SSL_CIPHER of a connection 💫

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

the synopsis is giving “include first, then these exact signatures,” so here it is, no cap:

library “libssl” libcrypto #include <openssl/ssl.h>

const SSL_CIPHER *
SSL_get_current_cipher(const SSL *ssl);

const char *
SSL_get_cipher(const SSL *ssl);

const char *
SSL_get_cipher_name(const SSL *ssl);

int
SSL_get_cipher_bits(const SSL *ssl, int *np);

char *
SSL_get_cipher_version(const SSL *ssl);

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

okay so here’s the tea ☕: SSL_get_current_cipher() returns a pointer to an SSL_CIPHER object containing the description of the actually used cipher of a connection established with the ssl object. see SSL_CIPHER_get_name(3) for more details, iykyk 💅

SSL_get_cipher_name() obtains the name of the currently used cipher. and SSL_get_cipher() is literally identical to SSL_get_cipher_name() — same vibe, same result 🫶

SSL_get_cipher_bits() obtains the number of secret/algorithm bits used, and SSL_get_cipher_version() returns the protocol name 🌈

also, not me forgetting the important little detail: SSL_get_cipher(), SSL_get_cipher_name(), SSL_get_cipher_bits(), and SSL_get_cipher_version() are implemented as macros ⭐

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👑 RETURN VALUES 👑

SSL_get_current_cipher() returns the cipher actually used, or NULL if no session has been established. periodt 💀

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🎀 SEE ALSO 🎀

• ssl(3)
• SSL_CIPHER_get_name(3)

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🌟 HISTORY 🌟

the lore, bestie 📜:

• SSL_get_cipher() appeared in SSLeay 0.4 or earlier.
• SSL_get_cipher_bits() first appeared in SSLeay 0.6.4.
• SSL_get_cipher_name() and SSL_get_cipher_version() first appeared in SSLeay 0.8.0.
• SSL_get_current_cipher() first appeared in SSLeay 0.8.1.
• These functions have been available since OpenBSD 2.4.

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mwah 💖 cute little footer sign-off: source/version Debian, date June 8, 2025, page SSL_GET_CURRENT_CIPHER(3) — bye bestie, slay responsibly 🧚‍♀️