* The :mod:`ssl` module has a new class, :class:`~ssl.SSLContext` which

serves as a container for various persistent SSL data, such as protocol

settings, certificates, private keys, and various other options.

The :meth:`~ssl.SSLContext.wrap_socket` method allows to create an

SSL socket from such an SSL context.

(Added by Antoine Pitrou; :issue:`8550`.)

The :func:`ssl.wrap_socket` constructor function now takes a

*ciphers* argument that's a string listing the encryption algorithms

to be allowed; the format of the string is described

`in the OpenSSL documentation

<http://www.openssl.org/docs/apps/ciphers.html#CIPHER_LIST_FORMAT>`__.

(Added by Antoine Pitrou; :issue:`8322`.)

Various options have been added to the :mod:`ssl` module, such as

:data:`~ssl.OP_NO_SSLv2` which allows to force disabling of the insecure

and obsolete SSLv2 protocol.

(Added by Antoine Pitrou; :issue:`4870`.)

Another change makes the extension load all of OpenSSL's ciphers and

digest algorithms so that they're all available. Some SSL

certificates couldn't be verified, reporting an "unknown algorithm"

error. (Reported by Beda Kosata, and fixed by Antoine Pitrou;

:issue:`8484`.)

The version of OpenSSL being used is now available as the module

attributes :data:`ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION` (a string),

:data:`ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION_INFO` (a 5-tuple), and

:data:`ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION_NUMBER` (an integer). (Added by Antoine

Pitrou; :issue:`8321`.)