Mutual TLS (mTLS) is an extension of Transport Layer Security (TLS) where both client and server authenticate each other using X.509 digital certificates.
It provides a stronger trust model than standard TLS, where only the server presents a certificate.
mTLS is widely used across ecosystems such as:
- API Gateways (WSO2, Kong, Apigee, AWS API Gateway)
- Payment and Financial Networks (Visa VCAS, Mastercard MIP, banking integrations)
- Microservices and Service Meshes (Envoy, Istio, Linkerd, AWS App Mesh)
- Cloud and VPN Security (PrivateLink, Zero Trust Networks, Client VPNs)