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Stunnel, currently at version 5.77 and offered in two distinct release branches, is a lightweight encryption proxy whose sole purpose is to wrap plaintext TCP traffic in industry-standard TLS without touching the underlying client or server applications. System administrators deploy it when legacy daemons, embedded devices, or closed-source commercial software lack native SSL/TLS support, instantly upgrading protocols such as SMTP, POP3, IMAP, HTTP, or proprietary binary services to encrypted channels. Typical use cases include securing old mail servers that cannot be recompiled, adding HTTPS to internal web appliances, tunneling database connections across hostile networks, or creating secure point-to-point links between IoT gateways and cloud endpoints. Because Stunnel binds to a local port, encrypts outbound data, and forwards it to a remote TLS-enabled peer, the original application continues to operate unchanged, simplifying compliance audits and reducing maintenance risk. The program ships as a command-line service for Windows and Unix, reads a declarative configuration file for certificate paths, ciphers, and per-tunnel policies, and supports modern features such as Server Name Indication, OCSP stapling, and automatic certificate renewal via ACME. Falls within the Network/Security category on software catalogs. The software is available for free on get.nero.com, with downloads provided via trusted Windows package sources (e.g. winget), always delivering the latest version, and supporting batch installation of multiple applications.
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