# phpman > man > tlsproxy(8) [TLSPROXY(8postfix)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/TLSPROXY/8postfix/markdown) [TLSPROXY(8postfix)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/TLSPROXY/8postfix/markdown) ## NAME tlsproxy - Postfix TLS proxy ## SYNOPSIS **tlsproxy** [generic Postfix daemon options] ## DESCRIPTION The [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server implements a two-way TLS proxy. It is used by the [**postscreen**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postscreen/8/markdown) server to talk SMTP-over-TLS with remote SMTP clients that are not allowlisted (including clients whose allowlist status has expired), and by the [**smtp**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/smtp/8/markdown) client to support TLS connection re‐ use, but it should also work for non-SMTP protocols. Although one [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) process can serve multiple sessions at the same time, it is a good idea to allow the number of processes to increase with load, so that the service remains re‐ sponsive. ## PROTOCOL EXAMPLE The example below concerns [**postscreen**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postscreen/8/markdown). However, the [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server is agnostic of the application protocol, and the example is easily adapted to other applications. After receiving a valid remote SMTP client STARTTLS command, the [**postscreen**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postscreen/8/markdown) server sends the remote SMTP client endpoint string, the requested role (server), and the requested time‐ out to [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown). [**postscreen**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postscreen/8/markdown) then receives a "TLS available" indication from **tl**‐‐ [**sproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/sproxy/8/markdown). If the TLS service is available, [**postscreen**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postscreen/8/markdown) sends the remote SMTP client file descriptor to [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown), and sends the plaintext 220 greeting to the remote SMTP client. This triggers TLS negotiations between the remote SMTP client and [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown). Upon comple‐ tion of the TLS-level handshake, [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) translates between plaintext from/to [**postscreen**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postscreen/8/markdown) and ciphertext to/from the remote SMTP client. ## SECURITY The [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server is moderately security-sensitive. It talks to untrusted clients on the network. The process can be run chrooted at fixed low privilege. ## DIAGNOSTICS Problems and transactions are logged to [**syslogd**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/syslogd/8/markdown) or [**postlogd**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postlogd/8/markdown). ## CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS Changes to **main.cf** are not picked up automatically, as [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) processes may run for a long time depending on mail server load. Use the command "**postfix** **reload**" to speed up a change. The text below provides only a parameter summary. See [**postconf**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postconf/5/markdown) for more details including examples. ## STARTTLS GLOBAL CONTROLS The following settings are global and therefore cannot be overruled by information specified in a [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client request. **tls**___**append**___**default**___**CA** **(no)** Append the system-supplied default Certification Authority certificates to the ones specified with *_tls_CApath or *_tls_CAfile. **tls**___**daemon**___**random**___**bytes** **(32)** The number of pseudo-random bytes that an [**smtp**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/smtp/8/markdown) or [**smtpd**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/smtpd/8/markdown) process requests from the [**tlsmgr**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsmgr/8/markdown) server in order to seed its internal pseudo random number generator (PRNG). **tls**___**high**___**cipherlist** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** The OpenSSL cipherlist for "high" grade ciphers. **tls**___**medium**___**cipherlist** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** The OpenSSL cipherlist for "medium" or higher grade ciphers. **tls**___**low**___**cipherlist** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** The OpenSSL cipherlist for "low" or higher grade ciphers. **tls**___**export**___**cipherlist** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** The OpenSSL cipherlist for "export" or higher grade ciphers. **tls**___**null**___**cipherlist** **(eNULL:!aNULL)** The OpenSSL cipherlist for "NULL" grade ciphers that provide authentication without encryption. **tls**___**eecdh**___**strong**___**curve** **(prime256v1)** The elliptic curve used by the Postfix SMTP server for sensibly strong ephemeral ECDH key exchange. **tls**___**eecdh**___**ultra**___**curve** **(secp384r1)** The elliptic curve used by the Postfix SMTP server for maximally strong ephemeral ECDH key exchange. **tls**___**disable**___**workarounds** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** List or bit-mask of OpenSSL bug work-arounds to disable. **tls**___**preempt**___**cipherlist** **(no)** With SSLv3 and later, use the Postfix SMTP server's cipher preference order instead of the remote client's cipher preference order. Available in Postfix version 2.9 and later: **tls**___**legacy**___**public**___**key**___**fingerprints** **(no)** A temporary migration aid for sites that use certificate _public-key_ fingerprints with Postfix 2.9.0..2.9.5, which use an incorrect algorithm. Available in Postfix version 2.11-3.1: **tls**___**dane**___**digest**___**agility** **(on)** Configure RFC7671 DANE TLSA digest algorithm agility. **tls**___**dane**___**trust**___**anchor**___**digest**___**enable** **(yes)** Enable support for RFC 6698 (DANE TLSA) DNS records that contain digests of trust-an‐ chors with certificate usage "2". Available in Postfix version 2.11 and later: **tlsmgr**___**service**___**name** **(tlsmgr)** The name of the [**tlsmgr**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsmgr/8/markdown) service entry in master.cf. Available in Postfix version 3.0 and later: **tls**___**session**___**ticket**___**cipher** **(Postfix** **>=** **3.0:** **aes-256-cbc,** **Postfix** **<** **3.0:** **aes-128-cbc)** Algorithm used to encrypt RFC5077 TLS session tickets. **openssl**___**path** **(openssl)** The location of the OpenSSL command line program [**openssl**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/openssl/1/markdown). Available in Postfix version 3.2 and later: **tls**___**eecdh**___**auto**___**curves** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** The prioritized list of elliptic curves supported by the Postfix SMTP client and server. Available in Postfix version 3.4 and later: **tls**___**server**___**sni**___**maps** **(empty)** Optional lookup tables that map names received from remote SMTP clients via the TLS Server Name Indication (SNI) extension to the appropriate keys and certificate chains. Available in Postfix 3.5, 3.4.6, 3.3.5, 3.2.10, 3.1.13 and later: **tls**___**fast**___**shutdown**___**enable** **(yes)** A workaround for implementations that hang Postfix while shutting down a TLS session, until Postfix times out. ## STARTTLS SERVER CONTROLS These settings are clones of Postfix SMTP server settings. They allow [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) to load the same certificate and private key information as the Postfix SMTP server, before dropping privileges, so that the key files can be kept read-only for root. These settings can cur‐ rently not be overruled by information in a [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client request, but that limitation may be removed in a future version. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**CAfile** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**CAfile)** A file containing (PEM format) CA certificates of root CAs trusted to sign either re‐ mote SMTP client certificates or intermediate CA certificates. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**CApath** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**CApath)** A directory containing (PEM format) CA certificates of root CAs trusted to sign either remote SMTP client certificates or intermediate CA certificates. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**always**___**issue**___**session**___**ids** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**always**___**issue**___**session**___**ids)** Force the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server to issue a TLS session id, even when TLS session caching is turned off. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**ask**___**ccert** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**ask**___**ccert)** Ask a remote SMTP client for a client certificate. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**ccert**___**verifydepth** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**ccert**___**verifydepth)** The verification depth for remote SMTP client certificates. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**cert**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**cert**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server RSA certificate in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**ciphers** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**ciphers)** The minimum TLS cipher grade that the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server will use with oppor‐ tunistic TLS encryption. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**dcert**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**dcert**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server DSA certificate in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**dh1024**___**param**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**dh1024**___**param**___**file)** File with DH parameters that the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server should use with non-export EDH ciphers. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**dh512**___**param**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**dh512**___**param**___**file)** File with DH parameters that the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server should use with ex‐ port-grade EDH ciphers. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**dkey**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**dkey**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server DSA private key in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**eccert**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**eccert**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server ECDSA certificate in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**eckey**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**eckey**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server ECDSA private key in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**eecdh**___**grade** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**eecdh**___**grade)** The Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server security grade for ephemeral elliptic-curve Diffie-Hellman (EECDH) key exchange. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**exclude**___**ciphers** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**exclude**___**ciphers)** List of ciphers or cipher types to exclude from the [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server cipher list at all TLS security levels. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**fingerprint**___**digest** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**fingerprint**___**digest)** The message digest algorithm to construct remote SMTP client-certificate fingerprints. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**key**___**file** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**key**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server RSA private key in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**loglevel** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**loglevel)** Enable additional Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server logging of TLS activity. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**mandatory**___**ciphers** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**mandatory**___**ciphers)** The minimum TLS cipher grade that the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server will use with manda‐ tory TLS encryption. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**mandatory**___**exclude**___**ciphers** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**mandatory**___**exclude**___**ciphers)** Additional list of ciphers or cipher types to exclude from the [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server ci‐ pher list at mandatory TLS security levels. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**mandatory**___**protocols** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**mandatory**___**protocols)** The SSL/TLS protocols accepted by the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server with mandatory TLS encryption. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**protocols** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**protocols)** List of TLS protocols that the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server will exclude or include with opportunistic TLS encryption. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**req**___**ccert** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**req**___**ccert)** With mandatory TLS encryption, require a trusted remote SMTP client certificate in or‐ der to allow TLS connections to proceed. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**security**___**level** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**security**___**level)** The SMTP TLS security level for the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server; when a non-empty value is specified, this overrides the obsolete parameters smtpd_use_tls and smtpd_en‐ force_tls. **tlsproxy**___**tls**___**chain**___**files** **($smtpd**___**tls**___**chain**___**files)** Files with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) server keys and certificate chains in PEM format. ## STARTTLS CLIENT CONTROLS These settings are clones of Postfix SMTP client settings. They allow [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) to load the same certificate and private key information as the Postfix SMTP client, before dropping privileges, so that the key files can be kept read-only for root. Some settings may be over‐ ruled by information in a [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client request. Available in Postfix version 3.4 and later: **tlsproxy**___**client**___**CAfile** **($smtp**___**tls**___**CAfile)** A file containing CA certificates of root CAs trusted to sign either remote TLS server certificates or intermediate CA certificates. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**CApath** **($smtp**___**tls**___**CApath)** Directory with PEM format Certification Authority certificates that the Postfix **tl**‐‐ [**sproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/sproxy/8/markdown) client uses to verify a remote TLS server certificate. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**chain**___**files** **($smtp**___**tls**___**chain**___**files)** Files with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client keys and certificate chains in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**cert**___**file** **($smtp**___**tls**___**cert**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client RSA certificate in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**key**___**file** **($smtp**___**tls**___**key**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client RSA private key in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**dcert**___**file** **($smtp**___**tls**___**dcert**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client DSA certificate in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**dkey**___**file** **($smtp**___**tls**___**dkey**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client DSA private key in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**eccert**___**file** **($smtp**___**tls**___**eccert**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client ECDSA certificate in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**eckey**___**file** **($smtp**___**tls**___**eckey**___**file)** File with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client ECDSA private key in PEM format. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**fingerprint**___**digest** **($smtp**___**tls**___**fingerprint**___**digest)** The message digest algorithm used to construct remote TLS server certificate finger‐ prints. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**loglevel** **($smtp**___**tls**___**loglevel)** Enable additional Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client logging of TLS activity. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**loglevel**___**parameter** **(smtp**___**tls**___**loglevel)** The name of the parameter that provides the tlsproxy_client_loglevel value. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**scert**___**verifydepth** **($smtp**___**tls**___**scert**___**verifydepth)** The verification depth for remote TLS server certificates. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**security**___**level** **($smtp**___**tls**___**security**___**level)** The default TLS security level for the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**policy**___**maps** **($smtp**___**tls**___**policy**___**maps)** Optional lookup tables with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client TLS security policy by next-hop destination. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**use**___**tls** **($smtp**___**use**___**tls)** Opportunistic mode: use TLS when a remote server announces TLS support. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**enforce**___**tls** **($smtp**___**enforce**___**tls)** Enforcement mode: require that SMTP servers use TLS encryption. **tlsproxy**___**client**___**per**___**site** **($smtp**___**tls**___**per**___**site)** Optional lookup tables with the Postfix [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) client TLS usage policy by next-hop destination and by remote TLS server hostname. ## OBSOLETE STARTTLS SUPPORT CONTROLS These parameters are supported for compatibility with [**smtpd**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/smtpd/8/markdown) legacy parameters. **tlsproxy**___**use**___**tls** **($smtpd**___**use**___**tls)** Opportunistic TLS: announce STARTTLS support to remote SMTP clients, but do not re‐ quire that clients use TLS encryption. **tlsproxy**___**enforce**___**tls** **($smtpd**___**enforce**___**tls)** Mandatory TLS: announce STARTTLS support to remote SMTP clients, and require that clients use TLS encryption. ## RESOURCE CONTROLS **tlsproxy**___**watchdog**___**timeout** **(10s)** How much time a [**tlsproxy**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tlsproxy/8/markdown) process may take to process local or remote I/O before it is terminated by a built-in watchdog timer. ## MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS **config**___**directory** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf configuration files. **process**___**id** **(read-only)** The process ID of a Postfix command or daemon process. **process**___**name** **(read-only)** The process name of a Postfix command or daemon process. **syslog**___**facility** **(mail)** The syslog facility of Postfix logging. **syslog**___**name** **(see** **'postconf** **-d'** **output)** A prefix that is prepended to the process name in syslog records, so that, for exam‐ ple, "smtpd" becomes "prefix/smtpd". Available in Postfix 3.3 and later: **service**___**name** **(read-only)** The master.cf service name of a Postfix daemon process. ## SEE ALSO [postscreen(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postscreen/8/markdown), Postfix zombie blocker [smtpd(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/smtpd/8/markdown), Postfix SMTP server [postconf(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postconf/5/markdown), configuration parameters [postlogd(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/postlogd/8/markdown), Postfix logging [syslogd(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/syslogd/8/markdown), system logging ## LICENSE The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software. ## HISTORY This service was introduced with Postfix version 2.8. **AUTHOR(S)** Wietse Venema IBM T.J. Watson Research P.O. Box 704 Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA Wietse Venema Google, Inc. 111 8th Avenue New York, NY 10011, USA [TLSPROXY(8postfix)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/TLSPROXY/8postfix/markdown)