A method for performing an SSL handshake, comprising: determining, by a target content distribution network, CDN, node, a target service server accessed by a target terminal and obtaining, by the target CDN node, information to be processed by a private key during the SSL handshake with the target terminal; sending, by the target CDN node, a private key processing request to a private key server corresponding to the target service server, the private key processing request carrying the information to be processed and target private key processing type information; processing, by the private key server, the information to be processed based on the target private key processing type information and a private key of the target service server, and sending, by the private key server, a processing result to the target CDN node so that the target CDN node continues to perform the SSL handshake with the target terminal according to the processing result; said method being characterized by:said sending being performed if a current local load level is greater than a preset threshold, and then the target CDN node performs the private key processing by using the private key stored locally, when the current local load level is less than the preset threshold or no response is obtained within a preset time period after sending the private key processing request; or the target CDN node performs the private key processing by using the private key stored locally during the SSL handshake within a following preset time period, when no response is obtained after private key processing requests are sent multiple times continuously to the private key server. determining, by a target content distribution network, CDN, node, a target service server accessed by a target terminal and obtaining, by the target CDN node, information to be processed by a private key during the SSL handshake with the target terminal; sending, by the target CDN node, a private key processing request to a private key server corresponding to the target service server, the private key processing request carrying the information to be processed and target private key processing type information; processing, by the private key server, the information to be processed based on the target private key processing type information and a private key of the target service server, and sending, by the private key server, a processing result to the target CDN node so that the target CDN node continues to perform the SSL handshake with the target terminal according to the processing result; said method being characterized by:said sending being performed if a current local load level is greater than a preset threshold, and then the target CDN node performs the private key processing by using the private key stored locally, when the current local load level is less than the preset threshold or no response is obtained within a preset time period after sending the private key processing request; or the target CDN node performs the private key processing by using the private key stored locally during the SSL handshake within a following preset time period, when no response is obtained after private key processing requests are sent multiple times continuously to the private key server.