Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic technique intended to guarantee communications security over a computer network. Although the protocol is extensively used in voice over IP, email, and instant messaging, its usage to secure HTTPS is still the most commonly known. Between two or more interacting computer programs, the TLS protocol principally seeks to offer encryption, including privacy (confidentiality), integrity, and authenticity through the use of certificates. The TLS record and TLS handshake protocols make up its own two levels, which it executes in the application layer.
For information about TLS, please view guidance on this topic from the following resources:
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
- The U.S. Department of Defense.