Transport Layer Security (TLS)

Transport Layer Security is an evolved protocol from the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol. So, we can define both of them as a cryptographic protocol that secures the communications between two applications or between the server and web browser. Although both of them can be referred to as (SSL), there are some differences between them which make (TLS) more used and popular than (SSL). These differences are that TLS is characterized by a Message authentication, a Key material generation, and supported chipper suites.

So, in this article iLead will tackle all aspects of transport layer security. TLS Protocol Layers is divided into:

TLS Record protocol

This protocol provides services and facilities for security and confidentiality like:

• Dividing the application layers data in packets then encrypt these packets,
• Compressing the data or reducing its size to ease the encryption process,
• Defining a message authentication code for the incoming and the outgoing messages,
• Encrypt the outgoing messages and decrypt the incoming ones.

TLS handshake protocol

This protocol is responsible for:

• Negotiation between the client and the server regarding choosing the suitable cipher suite,
• The chosen cipher suite make an authentication between the server and the client and make them negotiate about choosing the appropriate cryptographic keys before the exchanging of any data,
• In the key exchange session, the server and the client make an exchange for random numbers and data to create their shared (Master Secret) or the encryption key.

Conclusion

Transport layer security was released in 1999 when (IETF) the Internet Engineering Task Force released version 3.1 of (SSL) and renamed it as (TLS).