TLS — Transport Layer Security
Definition: The cryptographic protocol that encrypts data in transit on the modern web. The "S" in HTTPS — and the bare minimum any serious product ships with.
Example
An expired TLS cert took the marketing site down for three hours — every "S" in HTTPS is a renewal someone owns.
When you'll hear it
TLS shows up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to transport layer security — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does TLS stand for?
TLS stands for Transport Layer Security.
What does TLS mean in technology and engineering?
The cryptographic protocol that encrypts data in transit on the modern web. The "S" in HTTPS — and the bare minimum any serious product ships with.
Where will I hear TLS used at work?
TLS comes up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. It's used as shorthand for transport layer security, so people assume you already know the term.