diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5ddebbdb5..3e956498e 100755
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 # along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.12 FATAL_ERROR)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.18 FATAL_ERROR)
 
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake")
 
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ find_package(DL      REQUIRED)
 find_package(ZLIB  QUIET)
 find_package(BZip2 QUIET)
 
+#static linkage for openssl libs
+set(OPENSSL_USE_STATIC_LIBS ON)
 find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED)
 
 include(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/GenRevision.cmake)
diff --git a/src/mangosd/CMakeLists.txt b/src/mangosd/CMakeLists.txt
index 5e1c6c795..7bae2e0cd 100644
--- a/src/mangosd/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/mangosd/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ target_include_directories(mangosd
     PUBLIC
         ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
         ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
+        ${OPENSSL_INCLUDE_DIR}
 )
 
 target_compile_definitions(mangosd
@@ -76,6 +77,11 @@ target_link_libraries(mangosd
         $<$<BOOL:${SOAP}>:gsoap>
         Threads::Threads
         DL::DL
+        ${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES}
+#if (defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+        OpenSSL::Crypto
+#endif()
+
 )
 
 install(
diff --git a/src/mangosd/mangosd.cpp b/src/mangosd/mangosd.cpp
index 27bcdb5a9..b8ce10248 100644
--- a/src/mangosd/mangosd.cpp
+++ b/src/mangosd/mangosd.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 
 #include <openssl/opensslv.h>
 #include <openssl/crypto.h>
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+#  include <openssl/provider.h>
+#endif
 #include <ace/Version.h>
 #include <ace/Get_Opt.h>
 
@@ -391,11 +394,38 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     sLog.outString("Using configuration file %s.", cfg_file);
 
     DETAIL_LOG("Using SSL version: %s (Library: %s)", OPENSSL_VERSION_TEXT, SSLeay_version(SSLEAY_VERSION));
+
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+    OSSL_PROVIDER* legacy;
+    OSSL_PROVIDER* deflt;
+
+    /* Load Multiple providers into the default (NULL) library context */
+    legacy = OSSL_PROVIDER_load(NULL, "legacy");
+    if (legacy == NULL) {
+        sLog.outError("Failed to load OpenSSL 3.x Legacy provider\n");
+#ifdef WIN32
+        sLog.outError("\nPlease check you have set the following Enviroment Varible:\n");
+        sLog.outError("OPENSSL_MODULES=C:\\OpenSSL-Win64\\bin\n");
+        sLog.outError("(where C:\\OpenSSL-Win64\\bin is the location you installed OpenSSL\n");
+#endif
+        Log::WaitBeforeContinueIfNeed();
+        return 0;
+    }
+    deflt = OSSL_PROVIDER_load(NULL, "default");
+    if (deflt == NULL) {
+        sLog.outError("Failed to load OpenSSL 3.x Default provider\n");
+        OSSL_PROVIDER_unload(legacy);
+        Log::WaitBeforeContinueIfNeed();
+        return 0;
+    }
+#else
     if (SSLeay() < 0x10100000L || SSLeay() > 0x10200000L)
     {
         DETAIL_LOG("WARNING: OpenSSL version may be out of date or unsupported. Logins to server may not work!");
         DETAIL_LOG("WARNING: Minimal required version [OpenSSL 1.1.x] and Maximum supported version [OpenSSL 1.2]");
     }
+#endif
+
 
     DETAIL_LOG("Using ACE: %s", ACE_VERSION);
 
diff --git a/src/realmd/CMakeLists.txt b/src/realmd/CMakeLists.txt
index 61bc11703..dc226c56f 100644
--- a/src/realmd/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/realmd/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ target_include_directories(realmd
     PUBLIC
         ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
         ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/VersionInfo.h
+        ${OPENSSL_INCLUDE_DIR}
 )
 
 target_link_libraries(realmd
@@ -71,6 +72,10 @@ target_link_libraries(realmd
         shared
         Threads::Threads
         DL::DL
+        ${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES}
+#if (defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+        OpenSSL::Crypto
+#endif()
 )
 
 install(
diff --git a/src/realmd/Main.cpp b/src/realmd/Main.cpp
index 8444cd310..9db6fcc2b 100644
--- a/src/realmd/Main.cpp
+++ b/src/realmd/Main.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@
 
 #include <openssl/opensslv.h>
 #include <openssl/crypto.h>
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+#  include <openssl/provider.h>
+#endif
 
 #include <ace/Get_Opt.h>
 #include <ace/Dev_Poll_Reactor.h>
@@ -221,11 +224,40 @@ extern int main(int argc, char** argv)
     }
 
     DETAIL_LOG("Using SSL version: %s (Library: %s)", OPENSSL_VERSION_TEXT, SSLeay_version(SSLEAY_VERSION));
+
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+    OSSL_PROVIDER* legacy;
+    OSSL_PROVIDER* deflt;
+
+    /* Load Multiple providers into the default (NULL) library context */
+    legacy = OSSL_PROVIDER_load(NULL, "legacy");
+    if (legacy == NULL)
+    {
+        sLog.outError("Failed to load OpenSSL 3.x Legacy provider\n");
+#ifdef WIN32
+        sLog.outError("\nPlease check you have set the following Enviroment Varible:\n");
+        sLog.outError("OPENSSL_MODULES=C:\\OpenSSL-Win64\\bin\n");
+        sLog.outError("(where C:\\OpenSSL-Win64\\bin is the location you installed OpenSSL\n");
+#endif
+        Log::WaitBeforeContinueIfNeed();
+        return 0;
+    }
+    deflt = OSSL_PROVIDER_load(NULL, "default");
+    if (deflt == NULL)
+    {
+        sLog.outError("Failed to load OpenSSL 3.x Default provider\n");
+        OSSL_PROVIDER_unload(legacy);
+        Log::WaitBeforeContinueIfNeed();
+        return 0;
+    }
+#else
     if (SSLeay() < 0x10100000L || SSLeay() > 0x10200000L)
     {
         DETAIL_LOG("WARNING: OpenSSL version may be out of date or unsupported. Logins to server may not work!");
         DETAIL_LOG("WARNING: Minimal required version [OpenSSL 1.1.x] and Maximum supported version [OpenSSL 1.2]");
     }
+#endif
+
 
     DETAIL_LOG("Using ACE: %s", ACE_VERSION);
 
diff --git a/src/shared/Auth/ARC4.cpp b/src/shared/Auth/ARC4.cpp
index ed9782ff4..b5ce60292 100644
--- a/src/shared/Auth/ARC4.cpp
+++ b/src/shared/Auth/ARC4.cpp
@@ -24,9 +24,16 @@
  */
 
 #include "ARC4.h"
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+#include <openssl/provider.h>
+#endif
 
 ARC4::ARC4(uint8 len) : m_ctx()
 {
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+    OSSL_PROVIDER_load(NULL, "legacy");
+#endif
+
     m_ctx = EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new();
     EVP_EncryptInit_ex(m_ctx, EVP_rc4(), NULL, NULL, NULL);
     EVP_CIPHER_CTX_set_key_length(m_ctx, len);
@@ -34,6 +41,10 @@ ARC4::ARC4(uint8 len) : m_ctx()
 
 ARC4::ARC4(uint8 *seed, uint8 len) : m_ctx()
 {
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+    OSSL_PROVIDER_load(NULL, "legacy");
+#endif
+
     m_ctx = EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new();
     EVP_EncryptInit_ex(m_ctx, EVP_rc4(), NULL, NULL, NULL);
     EVP_CIPHER_CTX_set_key_length(m_ctx, len);
diff --git a/src/shared/Auth/Sha1.h b/src/shared/Auth/Sha1.h
index b0489b6b9..770659fb0 100644
--- a/src/shared/Auth/Sha1.h
+++ b/src/shared/Auth/Sha1.h
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 #include "Common/Common.h"
 #include <openssl/sha.h>
 #include <openssl/crypto.h>
+#if defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && (OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+#  include <openssl/provider.h>
+#endif
 
 class BigNumber;
 
diff --git a/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt b/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
index 9099fc6dc..5a3f31ddc 100644
--- a/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ target_include_directories(shared
     PUBLIC
         ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
         ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
+        ${OPENSSL_INCLUDE_DIR}
         ${TGT_INCL}
 )
 
@@ -237,5 +238,6 @@ target_link_libraries(shared
         ace
         utf8
         MySQL::MySQL
+        ${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES}
         OpenSSL::Crypto
 )
diff --git a/src/tools/Extractor_projects/CMakeLists.txt b/src/tools/Extractor_projects/CMakeLists.txt
index 44a00f762..0b31ce415 100644
--- a/src/tools/Extractor_projects/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/tools/Extractor_projects/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -176,6 +176,10 @@ target_link_libraries(mmap-extractor
         RecastNavigation::Recast
         Threads::Threads
         DL::DL
+        ${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES}
+#if (defined(OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR) && OPENSSL_VERSION_MAJOR >= 3)
+        OpenSSL::Crypto
+#endif()
 )
 
 install(