SSLTLSi

SSLTLSi is a term used to describe hardware-assisted approaches to implementing the Secure Sockets Layer and Transport Layer Security protocols in silicon. It denotes the integration of cryptographic processing and TLS protocol support into a system-on-chip (SoC) or a dedicated security processor to offload and accelerate TLS work from the host CPU. The aim is to improve throughput, reduce latency, and lower power consumption in devices that handle many secure connections.

A typical SSLTLSi design includes a cryptographic accelerator able to perform AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305 operations, public-key algorithms such as RSA or ECC, and a secure random number generator. It also features a protected key store and a TLS state machine. The hardware component interfaces with a host processor or system fabric via buses such as PCIe or other on-board interconnects. In many implementations, TLS processing can be offloaded to the silicon, while a software TLS stack on the host handles higher-level protocol logic and certificate management, or the hardware may run its own TLS state machine in collaboration with software.

Interoperability and standards considerations: TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3 compatibility is essential, including support for common cipher suites, certificate handling, and session resumption. Because SSLTLSi is not a formal standardized specification, implementations vary across vendors, potentially affecting interoperability with general-purpose TLS libraries and applications.

Security and deployment considerations: Hardware TLS accelerators must protect key material through secure storage, robust boot and firmware update mechanisms, and resistance to side-channel attacks. They are most beneficial in environments requiring high connection counts and predictable performance, such as data centers, load balancers, gateways, and IoT edge devices.