How to disable SSL in IBM Websphere 6 and its impact?

Question

Considering the POODLE attack, I want to disable the SSLv3 in my web app deployed on IBM WebSphere 6. There are a few concerns I cant address:
1. How to disable SSL and enable TLS in WAS 6.0 and 6.1?
2. When a client hits the url of my application in browser, and the browser supports SSL, the request will be initiated with SSL. Is there such a possibility wherein end user will get a handshake exception as the WAS 6 will have SSL disabled?
3. Is there a change required in application configuration or changing web server properties will help?

Answer 1

You don't need to change anything in your application. There is already fixpack provided for latest WebSphere versions - check this page Vulnerability in SSLv3 affects IBM WebSphere Application Server

For V6.1.0.0 through 6.1.0.47:

• Apply Interim Fix PI28796 : Will upgrade you to IBM Java SDK Version 5.0 Service Refresh 16 Fix Pack 7 + APAR IV66111 for change to disable SSLv3 by default.

6.0 is soo old, that I don't remember if it even supports TLS. You will have to dig in the admin console somewhere in SSL settings (the exact path might be different) Security > SSL > SSL_configuration_name and change the protocol to TLS.

If you access WebSphere via web server (Apache or IHS), then you need to disable SSLv3 on the web server instead of application server. For details see Vulnerability in SSLv3 affects IBM HTTP Server

Add the following directive to the httpd.conf file to disable SSLv3 and SSLv2 for each context that contains "SSLEnable":

# Disable SSLv3 for CVE-2014-3566
# SSLv2 is disabled in V8R0 and later by default, and in typical V7
# and earlier configurations disabled implicitly when SSLv3 ciphers
# are configured with SSLCipherSpec.
SSLProtocolDisable SSLv3 SSLv2

Stop and restart IHS for the changes to take affect.