Transport Layer Security (TLS), previously known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), is a protocol used by applications to communicate securely across a network, preventing tampering with and eavesdropping on email, web browsing, messaging, and other protocols.
All modern browsers support the TLS protocol, requiring the server to provide a valid digital certificate confirming its identity in order to establish a secure connection. It is possible for both the client and server to mutually authenticate each other, if both parties provide their own individual digital certificates.
Learn more
- Transport Layer Security on Wikipedia
- Information security tutorial
- OWASP: Transport Layer Protection Cheat Sheet
- RFC 5246 (The Transport Layer Security Protocol, Version 1.2)