A deep dive into SSL and TLS: The protocols that secure the Internet

Practical TLS

Become An Expert In SSL/TLS.
Even If You’re New To Online Security

Banging your head against the keyboard over SSL and TLS?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

There’s not a tech in the world that hasn’t googled an ambiguous SSL error.

Sometimes you might get lucky with a tech hero at the end of your search.

Other times, that answer you found on Stack Exchange from 2016 seems to have worked. But you're left with a nagging suspicion that at best you’ve merely achieved “security” by concealing the holes.

When you treat each area of SSL/TLS as individual components, you miss out on the opportunity to understand the complete TLS ecosystem.

Without this understanding, you’ll always be banging your head against your keyboard when new errors arise.

You’ll dread the conversation coming up in interviews. And when your company faces a new deployment, you’ll be back at square one. 

You're the engineer. Aren't you supposed to have the answers?


Being in “reactive mode” is slowing you down

The last time you Googled an ambiguous SSL error, someone happened to have the answer you were looking for. But what if next time, there’s no tech hero on the other end? Or what if techwizard69 isn’t the expert they claim to be?

By looking things up as you go, you’re always going to be putting out fires. You’ll get a pang of frustration when new SSL errors appear. When you are faced with a new deployment, you’ll be back at square one, hoping the commands and solution techwizard69 provided let you close the ticket and move on to the next fire.


You’re wasting hours trying to grasp TLS concepts with resources that barely scratch the surface

If you’ve ever pulled your hair out trying to overcome a roadblock in SSL, you don’t need to be reminded what a headache SSL/TLS can be.

The tutorials you’ve found online don’t go into the depth you need to have a cohesive understanding. You spent weeks trying to get your head around one component. But you're not sure how this fits into the big picture. And so your understanding feels incomplete.

You’re left out of project discussions. You hope the topic never comes up in an interview. SSL/TLS continues to be an irritating roadblock when it could be the in-demand skill that makes you stand out as an expert.


You’re the solution to the workforce’s biggest skill gap. And yet the positions you want are just out of reach

According to the 2023 Official Cybersecurity Jobs Report from eSentire, more than 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs will go unfilled yearly, through 2025. The World Economic Forum claims that “nowhere is the workforce-skills gap more pronounced than in cybersecurity.”

These positions need to be filled, and companies are desperate to hire experts to fill them. But you’re not confident enough in your understanding to apply for a higher-paying job. Or ask for that promotion. And you don't have 80 hours to plow through an outdated workshop that introduces more questions than it solves. Not to mention an instructor who tells pointless stories and makes unnecessary tangents.

You deserve better.


Hi, I'm Ed Harmoush, Founder of Practical Networking

I’m not a tech genius or crypto guru. I’m just the engineer who spent the last 15 years piecing together the chaotic myriad of information on SSL and TLS. I exhausted online sources, white papers, articles, and RFCs. All while developing my expertise on the front lines of companies like Amazon and Rackspace. I did all this so you don’t have to!

Now, I help technicians like you become experts in SSL and TLS without the frustration of sifting through faulty solutions and outdated material. Many of my students have landed tech jobs at Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, F5, and Cisco.

I created Practical TLS so you could find answers to all of your SSL/TLS questions in one place. These modules are intentionally crafted based on what I wished someone had told me when I was trying to learn all this.

My mission is to take complex concepts and explain them in a simple, cohesive way so you can confidently call yourself a TLS and SSL expert. Even if you’re new to the world of online security. 

Become an SSL/TLS expert without…


  • The frustration of the trial and error approach
  • Spending thousands of dollars on workshops or bootcamps
  • Wasting time digging through confusing, non-holistic resources
  • Uncertainty about the practical application of what you’re learning
  • Struggling alone with no one to bounce questions off  

You can’t develop an SSL solution without an expert.
Someone’s got to figure that stuff out. Why not you?

Accurately Diagnose Problems

Once you understand how it all fits together, you eliminate the guesswork. As people describe problems, you're able to accurately diagnose the failure and respond appropriately. No more crossing your fingers and hoping your solution works. You identify the problem. And you know how to fix it.

Impress Future Employers

When you interview for IT roles, employers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate technical expertise. If you can demonstrate that you are an expert in SSL/TLS, you’ll gain access to new job opportunities. Instead of hoping SSL won’t come up in your next job interview, you’ll be glad that it did.

Be The SSL/TLS Expert Your Colleagues Come to for Advice

Become the tech hero that steps in when others run into SSL errors. Be the trusted SME that your team depends on. Next time your colleague is perplexed tinkering with a new deployment, they’ll be relieved you were there to answer their questions.

Drive Home Your Skills with Hands-On Application

This course contains over 40 lab tasks so you can practice and master your new skills. You’ll amass practical knowledge with various OpenSSL commands through real-world demonstrations and labs. Gain confidence you can successfully execute the same tasks that emerge on the job. 

‌End‌ ‌Your‌ ‌Status‌ ‌as‌ ‌a ‌Crypto Amateur

The cryptography used in SSL and TLS is the same cryptography used in any other secure communication protocol, like SSH, IKE, and IPsec. Deepening your cryptography knowledge with SSL will pave the way for you to easily become an expert in these other protocols as well.

Master the OpenSSL Toolset

Gain a practical understanding of Open SSL through step-by-step demonstrations and labs. Get laser-focused instructions on how to use Open SSL with worked examples of common implementation tasks. Create CSRs and install your SSL/TLS certificates with ease. 

Introducing...

Practical TLS

Become An Expert In SSL/TLS.  Even If You’re New To Online Security

Get everything you need to know about working with and troubleshooting TLS & SSL encapsulated into one, complete TLS course:

     Lifetime Access to the Practical TLS Video Library (80+ videos)

     40+ Lab Activities to Solidify Your Knowledge

     Lifetime Access to Student community & Private Discord Chat

Everything you'll find inside:

My goal is to create high-quality classes that make learning both easy and fun. I want you to feel like you got more value from the course than the money you spent. Every course comes with a complete satisfaction, money back guarantee. If, for any reason, you feel this course hasn't lived up to your expectation, e-mail me for full refund.

PLUS with Practical TLS you can ...

Create your own Certificate Authority from scratch

Issue Signed Certificates

Attend Live Q&A sessions with the instructor

Learn alongside other students enrolled in the course

NEW! Get exclusive access to the latest training  👇👇👇

As a Practical TLS member, you get exclusive access to the latest training in my ever-growing video library:

BONUS COURSE:  OpenSSL Training Course

Included at no extra charge is free access to my OpenSSL Training Course.  OpenSSL is the universal tool for inspecting, diagnosing, and troubleshooting SSL & TLS -- it is composed of many different utilities, each of which is responsible for a specific aspect of the SSL and TLS ecosystem.

BONUS MODULES:  TLS 1.3

The arrival of TLS 1.3 brings about the biggest changes to TLS since its inception. Three new modules have been added to the course to account for all the changes (Modules 9, 10, and 11 in the curriculum).  These are included with the Practical TLS course at no additional cost.

Only $297

Demonstrate Your Expertise With A Certificate of Completion

Boost your Resume / CV or LinkedIn profile with a Practical Networking Certificate of Completion. Enrolling in online education demonstrates the personal drive and discipline that employers look for in candidates.

According to Burning Glass Technologies, the introduction of a single hybrid skill can increase your salary by up to 40%.  

Here’s what the engineers that have enrolled are saying...

"It had amazing depth of knowledge. It really got you into the nitty-gritty ... Now I feel a whole lot more comfortable with the TLS Handshake"

Chris Grear
Protocol Analyst
Packet Pioneer 

Hari Charan
Technical Support Engineer
Honeywell

"Out of all the courses I've taken ... this is one of the few courses I actually completed"

"TLS/SSL is fundamental to the modern internet. And there’s no better place to learn it"

Knowing the high quality of Ed's other work, I didn't have to think twice about joining the Practical TLS course. Ed is second to none at explaining complex concepts plainly and clearly. As new concepts are introduced, he circles back and shows how they relate to and interact with the previous concepts, which really helped me develop a complete picture of how the various parts of TLS/SSL work together to provide confidentiality, integrity, and authentication to network communications. I have zero reservations about recommending this course. TLS/SSL is fundamental to the modern Internet, and there's no better place to learn it.

Jeremy McDowell
Network Engineer
Equinix
Jeremy's IT Lab

Rajesh Muthusamy
Software Consultant
Cognizant  

"After TWO modules, I was able to converse on this topic confidently at project discussions"

Ed's teaching style is top-notch. I learned a lot so far about TLS and am continuing to learn. After completing just 2 modules I was able to converse on this topic confidently at project discussions. Practical TLS is a complete value for the money, I would strongly recommend this course to anyone who wants a solid understanding & hands-on with TLS.

"This course is a must for everyone who wants a deep understanding of cryptography"

The way Ed presented the videos and lab exercises is simply amazing. Basic concepts, workflow and lessons covered are in such a way that anyone without knowledge of cryptography will be able to understand and learn quickly. This course is a must for everyone who wants a deep understanding of cryptography. Thanks once again!!!

Madhu Chandra
Software Engineer
CommScope  

Adam Horbaczewski
Network Security Engineer

"Ed's presentation is clear, digestible, and his visuals and animations are very well done and really help to clarify the topics."

I had been wanting to learn about Certificates and PKI for several months to be able to speak intelligently on the topic at interviews and on the job. The problem, though, was that I was having a difficult time finding a single source that really explained these topics well and in a way I could understand and apply. And then I saw that Ed released this course on his site.

I was already impressed with the quality of Ed's work, so when I saw that he had released this course the decision to enroll was easy for me. What I like most about the course is that it is logically organized into several Modules in which Ed carefully breaks down TLS into its various parts, each building on the previous lessons.

Ed's presentation is clear, digestible, and his visuals and animations are very well done and really help to clarify the topics. It is consistent in every way with what you see on his website and Youtube channel. Each module also contains some form of quizlet, review questions, and Labs to challenge your comprehension as you progress through the course.

All in all, the course does such a great job explaining the various topics that you will definitely come out the other end feeling a lot more confident overall. If you are looking to bring your colleagues up to speed on x.509 infrastructure, or just wanting to give yourself an edge on the job then I would definitely recommend this course. But really, this course is designed so that anyone can work through it. Even if you are just someone who is curious about internet security or how cryptographic algorithms work and keep your private data private. For lifetime access and a nicely organized go-to source, I think it's a great deal.

I can also appreciate the years of experience and accumulated knowledge Ed has gathered to put this course together as well as the care and attention he has taken in the organization and presentation of this material. Also, if you are having trouble anywhere along the way, you always have access to his Discord and the Student Community where you can pose your questions to other students or send messages directly to Ed. In the end, I am glad I made the decision to enroll in the course and feel much better concerning this topic than I did before.

"Ed's course ended up benefiting not just me, but an entire team of technicians."

Ed’s course on TLS/SSL is hands down one of the best on the market. Whether you're a beginner looking to grasp the fundamentals of TLS, PKI, and digital certificates, or a seasoned technician eager to explore the intricate details of cryptography. Ed’s teaching method makes everything click. He's got a knack for breaking down complex, technical topics into simple, digestible parts that are easy to understand, allowing you to easily build on them yourself.

The knowledge I gained allowed me to confidently do a crash course explaining the core concepts of TLS, PKI, and certificates to my colleagues, helping them understand how TLS works. Ed's course ended up benefiting not just me, but an entire team of technicians.

Jonas Hansen
Network Engineer
University College Lillebælt  

Yes, we offer bulk purchases for corporate SSL training.

Here are more answers:

Practical TLS is for anyone that deploys, installs, configures, verifies, or troubleshoots SSL & TLS. This includes Network Engineers, Software Developers, Cybersecurity, InfoSec, Penetration Testers, System Administrators and any similar roles. The course breaks down complex concepts into simple, organized modules that have been meticulously crafted to maximise learning. Whatever level you are at right now, Practical TLS will give you the confidence and in-depth SSL/TLS knowledge you need to reliably call yourself an expert.

This course is intentionally designed to guide you through every part of the process. Even if you’re new to online security. It is the only TLS solution of its kind that educates junior technicians all the way through to senior engineers. As long as you have some sort of exposure to the Internet (which, if you’re reading this … you probably do!), this course will take you from beginner to expert.

Any protocol that secures Internet communication makes use of Cryptography. This course teaches Cryptography. Cryptography is merely a set of tools that are used by other protocols. Which means, not only will this course absolutely help you understand SSH and IPsec, it will also help you understand other implementations of Cryptography as well (Blockchain, Bitcoin, etc...)

Absolutely! This course covers the entire TLS and SSL ecosystem in one comprehensive course. It is an amalgamation of all the knowledge I have amassed from more than a decade of working with and troubleshooting SSL. This knowledge is delivered inside concise, step-by-step modules that will meet you wherever you are now and make you an expert in SSL/TLS.

Many students have gone on to train and educate the rest of their team, making them the de facto escalation point for anything TLS related.

In 2024, and beyond! The difference between Practical TLS and other courses of its kind is that it focuses on the fundamental components of TLS and the SSL ecosystem. Platforms and software are always changing, but the core structure of TLS and Internet Security stay the same. This means your expertise will be transferable across vendors and platforms.

Your membership is yours for life which means you will always get the front row seat to the latest and best SSL training.

YES!  Three complete modules, and included labs, were added to the course to cover TLS 1.3 in depth.

Yes!

Yes!  If you have a team of engineers that need SSL and TLS training, a dedicated live virtual class delivery can be organized for your group. Each student will also get access to the self-study, online version of the course for further review and study.  For more information, send an email to courses@pracnet.net.

Don't just take my word for it ...
Here is what other people say about my teaching:

Reviews

5

Top Rated
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Sergey Oskotskiy

Excellent

Excellent course. A lot of material is explained in clear language and with very good slides and diagrams.

6 months ago
T. Danielle Mack

Amazing TLS course!

This was an amazing course-deep thorough, and rich in content and clarity. It's the best SSL/TLS course I've come across. I learned so much, especially with the bonus OpenSSL content. Combined with my current security knowledge, this course feels like a real game-changer. This was truly a remarkable experience! Thank you!

7 months ago
David Ribeiro

Made for those who want to learn!

It's impressive/overwhelming, but it's essential if you want to understand/learn and not just know, and I want to understand/learn. Thank you very much for the enormous amount of work you put into producing this complete and well-explained course. It was worth every penny. From Switzerland 2024.

9 months ago
Monika Dąbrowska

I recommend if you really want to learn SSL/TLS

I need to say this is the best course I had. I learned so much. Now I understand how SSL/TLS is working and I can use it at my work as DevOps Engineer.

12 months ago
Dario Montella

Excellent content and excellent teacher

I am really enjoying the course, Ed is really a perfect teacher, he really cares about being always clear so that students can understand even the deepest details. Absolutely raccomended, Ed transmits his passion for knowledge in every video

12 months ago
Simeon Ivanov

Simply amazing

The course is covering basically everything for SSL/TLS in a way to make you watch more and more. Definitely worth the money.

1 year ago
See more reviews

Become the next expert on your team with Practical TLS.

Gain everything you need to know about working with and troubleshooting TLS & SSL.

All in one place.

Practical TLS

A deep dive into TLS and SSL:
The protocols that secure the Internet

ONLY   $ 297

  • 80+ instructive video lessons across 11 modules
  • 40+ lab tasks with real-world application
  • Create your own C.A. and Issue Signed Certificates
  • Inspect, Decrypt, and analyse TLS traffic in Wireshark
  • Q&A with the instructor in private Discord channel
  • Learn alongside other students enrolled in the course
  • FREE COURSE:  OpenSSL Training (valued at $40)