Transport Layer Security (TLS)
The protocol that encrypts data in transit between your clients' browsers and your firm's systems, protecting it from interception as it crosses the internet.
What TLS is
TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the protocol that encrypts the connection between a client's browser and your firm's website, portal, or other internet-facing systems. It's what turns HTTP into HTTPS.
TLS uses certificates to prove identity and cryptographic keys to keep the connection private. The strength of that protection depends on which TLS versions and cipher suites your systems support.
Older, deprecated versions of TLS (such as TLS 1.0 and 1.1) have known weaknesses. Modern configuration favors TLS 1.2 or 1.3 with current cipher suites.
Why TLS matters for your firm
When a client uploads tax documents or logs into a portal, that data crosses the internet. Without strong transport encryption, it can be intercepted.
A valid certificate and modern TLS configuration aren't optional details — they're baseline expectations clients and partners increasingly check.
HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) complements TLS by instructing browsers to always use the secure connection, reducing the chance of a downgrade.
What we look at
- Which TLS versions and cipher suites your public endpoints support.
- Certificate validity, chain, and hostname coverage.
- Whether HSTS is present and how it's configured.
- Whether insecure connections redirect to the secure version.
This review uses publicly available information and does not log into private systems or access private client records. Any deeper testing that requires authorization only takes place after you authorize it and the scope is agreed upon.
Keep exploring
See how TLS applies to your firm.
The RingWarden Professional Security Assessment reviews tls and the rest of your public-facing digital infrastructure, then delivers a clear written report.
One-time payment. Professional written report. Delivered within 3 business days of confirmed payment, subject to the necessary assessment scope and access arrangements.