---
title: "TLS/SSL (Transport Layer Security / Secure Sockets Layer)"
id: "31826"
type: "glossary"
slug: "tls-ssl-transport-layer-security-secure-sockets-layer"
published_at: "2026-06-05T13:41:20+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-06-08T13:18:10+00:00"
url: "https://www.kitecyber.com/glossary/tls-ssl-transport-layer-security-secure-sockets-layer/"
markdown_url: "https://www.kitecyber.com/glossary/tls-ssl-transport-layer-security-secure-sockets-layer.md"
excerpt: "TLS/SSL (Transport Layer Security / Secure Sockets Layer) Home / Glossary Index / Alphabet T What is TLS/SSL? TLS (Transport Layer Security) […]"
---

# TLS/SSL (Transport Layer Security / Secure Sockets Layer)

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 / Alphabet T

## What is TLS/SSL?

**TLS (Transport Layer Security)** and its deprecated predecessor **SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)** are cryptographic protocols designed to secure communication between a client (like a web browser) and a server.

When a connection uses TLS, it guarantees three core security tenets:

- **Confidentiality:** Encrypts data so third parties cannot eavesdrop on the payload.
- **Integrity:** Mathematically verifies that data has not been modified or tampered with during transit.
- **Authentication:** Uses digital certificates to prove the remote server is truly who it claims to be.

## SSL vs. TLS: What is the Difference?

SSL is the legacy protocol; development officially stopped in 1996 after SSL 3.0 due to structural flaws. **TLS is the modern, secure standard.** All versions of SSL contain un-patchable vulnerabilities and must be disabled across your infrastructure. While many industry professionals still use the term “SSL certificate,” the underlying protocol powering those connections today is exclusively TLS.

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