TLS Authentication Modes

TLS supports three authentication modes:

1. Two-way authentication: authentication of both parties. In this mode, both server and client will be authenticated.
2. One-way authentication: server authentication with an unauthenticated client. That means only the server is authenticated by the client, and the client won’t be authenticated by the server.
3. Total anonymity: the server and client won’t authenticate each other.

Table 1 shows the certificate requirement in each authentication mode for the HTTPS client and HTTPS server.

Table 1 Certificate Requirement