SSL_accept(3ssl)

SSL_accept3ssl

Wait for a tls/ssl client to initiate a tls/ssl handshake

Usage

 #include <openssl/ssl.h>
 int SSL_accept(SSL *ssl);

Overview

SSL_accept() waits for a TLS/SSL client to initiate the TLS/SSL handshake. The communication channel must already have been set and assigned to the ssl by setting an underlying BIO.

Notes

The behaviour of SSL_accept() depends on the underlying BIO.

If the underlying BIO is blocking, SSL_accept() will only return once the handshake has been finished or an error occurred.

If the underlying BIO is nonblocking, SSL_accept() will also return when the underlying BIO could not satisfy the needs of SSL_accept() to continue the handshake, indicating the problem by the return value -1. In this case a call to SSL_get_error() with the return value of SSL_accept() will yield SSL_ERROR_WANT_READ or SSL_ERROR_WANT_WRITE. The calling process then must repeat the call after taking appropriate action to satisfy the needs of SSL_accept(). The action depends on the underlying BIO. When using a nonblocking socket, nothing is to be done, but select() can be used to check for the required condition. When using a buffering BIO, like a BIO pair, data must be written into or retrieved out of the BIO before being able to continue.

Return values

The following return values can occur:

0

The TLS/SSL handshake was not successful but was shut down controlled and by the specifications of the TLS/SSL protocol. Call SSL_get_error() with the return value ret to find out the reason.

1

The TLS/SSL handshake was successfully completed, a TLS/SSL connection has been established.

<0

The TLS/SSL handshake was not successful because a fatal error occurred either at the protocol level or a connection failure occurred. The shutdown was not clean. It can also occur if action is needed to continue the operation for nonblocking BIOs. Call SSL_get_error() with the return value ret to find out the reason.

Releases

13 releases since Debian 3.0 (Woody); the text changed 12 times.

  1. 3.0
  2. 3.1
  3. 4.0
  4. 5.0
  5. 6.0
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. 12
  12. 13
  13. Arch

From openssl 3.6.5-1 in Arch Linux 2026-11-01. Parsed by carta from the page's man source.