◄ Wiki / Crypto
handshake
A handshake is the opening negotiation of a secure connection where both sides agree on keys before any data flows.
In TLS (the security layer behind HTTPS), the handshake authenticates the parties and derives the secret session keys used to encrypt everything afterward. It is a precise, multi-step exchange, and each derived secret can be verified one at a time to prove the implementation is correct. Leaving the handshake 'deliberately still missing' means the encryption groundwork exists but the full negotiation has not yet been wired up.
See also
- HKDFHKDF is a standard method for turning one shared secret into several strong, purpose-specific keys.
- HMACHMAC is a way to attach a secret-keyed tag to a message so the receiver can verify it was not altered or forged.
- initialisation vector (IV)An initialisation vector is a per-message random or unique value that makes encryption of the same data look different each time.