What is DTLS encryption?
Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) encryption is a protocol that enables secure communication over unreliable transport protocols.
Examples of unreliable transport protocols include User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). Whereas many protocols can’t guarantee data delivery between client apps and servers, DTLS was designed to secure data sent over an untrusted network with a combination of certificate-based authentication and symmetric encryption.
DTLS is based on datagrams, a type of digital data packet telegram. Encrypted and authenticated individually, each datagram contains enough information to arrive at the correct destination without getting lost or arriving in the wrong order. This makes DTLS useful in real-time, low-latency scenarios where new data constantly replaces old data, such as in-app messaging, online gaming, and streaming media.
Based on the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, DTLS shares many of the core security features of TLS, including:
Symmetric encryption algorithms
Authentication mechanisms
Certificate-based key exchange
DTLS encryption allows you to secure communications over unreliable transport protocols, protecting data transmitted in real-time or latency-sensitive use cases. Internet telephony providers and communications platforms should provide DTLS encryption as part of a suite of security practices that help ensure a reliable, trustworthy messaging experience.
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