ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the technical aspects of Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS), a specification by the Wireless Application Protocol Forum to secure transactions in mobile networks. The first version of WTLS was a complete revision of Transport Layer Security to meet the constraints of data communications over Global System for Mobile Communication networks using the Short Message Service for bit rates of 9.6 kbit/s and the General Packet Radio Service for bit rates between 28 and 56 kbit/s. Cellular technologies of the third generation or Universal Mobile Telecommunication System were also considered. The use of WTLS in banking transactions requires a public key infrastructure under the control of the user’s financial institution. US regulations prevented the export of some cryptographic algorithms. As a consequence, WTLS is susceptible to a side channel attack using the error information in the padding verification.
