What is OCSP Stapling?

OCSP Stapling is a security feature where the server includes a certificate status response during the TLS handshake. This eliminates the need for clients to contact the Certificate Authority directly to check if a certificate has been revoked.

Why is it Important?

• Privacy: Prevents CA from tracking user browsing
• Performance: Faster connections, no extra DNS lookups
• Reliability: Works even if OCSP responder is down
• Security: Real-time certificate validation

How It Works

The server periodically queries the OCSP responder and caches the response. During TLS handshake, the server "staples" this cached response to the certificate, proving its validity without requiring the client to make additional network requests.

Checking Status

This tool connects to servers with OCSP stapling enabled and analyzes the stapled response. It checks certificate status, response validity, timing information, and provides recommendations for servers without stapling enabled.