TLSlike

TLSlike is a family of cryptographic protocols designed to provide secure communication over insecure networks. It is inspired by Transport Layer Security (TLS) but targets constrained environments such as embedded IoT devices and mobile clients by reducing handshake overhead and memory usage while preserving core security properties.

The project emerged in the late 2010s from academic researchers and industry engineers seeking a TLS-like solution for devices with limited bandwidth and processing power. The first specification draft was released in 2018, with later revisions adding features such as algorithm agility, simplified certificate handling, and improved session resumption. The approach has been adopted in some IoT and edge computing contexts where traditional TLS is considered too heavy.

TLSlike defines a handshake, a record-like data stream, and a negotiable cipher suite. Key exchange typically uses elliptic-curve Diffie–Hellman to provide forward secrecy, while optional pre-shared keys support devices without a full PKI. Identity can be validated using X.509-like certificates or raw public keys, depending on deployment needs. The protocol supports TLS-like renegotiation and a lightweight alert mechanism for error reporting. It emphasizes modularity so practitioners can select compact algorithms suitable for low-power hardware and constrained networks.

In deployment, TLSlike aims to deliver security-equivalent guarantees to TLS with lower bandwidth and CPU costs. Security analyses and formal verifications have been published for core components, though real-world deployments depend on careful configuration, certificate management, and up-to-date crypto suites. Open-source implementations are available for microcontroller platforms and Linux-based systems, with ongoing work to broaden platform support.

See also: Transport Layer Security, DTLS, QUIC.