SECAI Core · phase 10 of 15
Transport Layer Security
A security protocol that uses certificates for authentication and encryption that provides end-to-end security to protect web communications and other application protocols.
The Explain card
- Plain English
- TLS is the protocol that encrypts and authenticates connections between two endpoints. It uses certificates to prove the server is who it claims to be, then wraps the traffic so nobody in between can read or alter it.
- Example
- A chatbot backend calls a model provider's API. TLS verifies the provider's certificate and encrypts every prompt and response, so a hostile Wi-Fi hotspot cannot siphon off user conversations or inject fake replies.
- Why it matters
- AI apps shuttle sensitive prompts, tokens, and API keys across networks constantly. Without TLS, or with certificate checks disabled, all of that is exposed to interception and tampering.
- Hook
- TLS is the sealed envelope with a verified return address.
Where it sits in the deck
Phase 10: Identity, Access, and Cryptographic Foundations
Before examining threats to systems, establish the foundational security primitives — identity, authentication, authorisation, and the cryptography underpinning them.
