Description: Mbed TLS is a lightweight cryptographic library designed for embedded systems and IoT applications. Its main goal is to provide an implementation of security protocols such as TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) that is easy to use and consumes few resources, making it ideal for devices with memory and processing limitations. Mbed TLS is characterized by its modularity, allowing developers to include only the necessary components for their application, thus optimizing performance. Additionally, the library is written in C, making it easy to integrate into a wide variety of platforms and operating systems. Security is one of its priorities, offering robust cryptographic algorithms and regular updates to address vulnerabilities. Mbed TLS also has an active community that contributes to its ongoing development and improvement, ensuring it stays up to date with the latest trends and security standards in the IoT space.
History: Mbed TLS, formerly known as PolarSSL, was created in 2010 by PolarSSL Ltd. Its initial goal was to provide a cryptographic library that was easy to use and suitable for embedded devices. In 2016, PolarSSL was acquired by ARM Holdings, which renamed it Mbed TLS and integrated it into its Mbed platform for IoT. Since then, Mbed TLS has evolved, incorporating new features and security enhancements, and has become one of the most widely used libraries in the field of security for IoT.
Uses: Mbed TLS is primarily used in IoT devices to implement secure communications through protocols such as HTTPS, MQTT over TLS, and others. It is common in applications that require data authentication and encryption, such as in remote monitoring systems, connected medical devices, and smart home solutions. It is also used in the development of firmware for microcontrollers, where efficiency and low resource consumption are critical.
Examples: A practical example of Mbed TLS is its use in health monitoring devices that securely send data to the cloud. Another case is in access control systems in smart buildings, where secure communication between devices and servers is required. Additionally, Mbed TLS is used in IoT platforms like AWS IoT and Azure IoT to ensure the security of connections between devices and the cloud.
