As artificial intelligence continues to evolve and transform industries, here at wolfSSL we are closely monitoring developments in Agent to Agent communication protocols such as A2A and SLIM. We recently wrote our blog post “A2A and wolfSSL” talking about how it is secured via TLS.
One particularly interesting development in this space is SLIM (Secure Low-Latency Interactive Messaging), a communication framework designed specifically for AI agents. What makes SLIM especially noteworthy from a security perspective is its choice of security protocol: Message Layer Security (MLS).
SLIM represents a new approach to AI agent communication, built on the gRPC framework and designed to provide secure, scalable messaging between multiple AI agents. SLIM addresses the unique challenges of group-based AI interactions where multiple agents need to communicate securely and efficiently.
MLS (Message Layer Security) is a relatively new cryptographic protocol standardized in RFC 9420 (https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc9420/). MLS is specifically designed for secure group messaging scenarios, making it an ideal choice for AI agent communication where multiple participants need to exchange information securely.
MLS provides several key security features that make it well-suited for AI agent communication:
- Quantum-safe end-to-end encryption ensures that communications between AI agents remain secure even against future quantum computing threats. MLS already incorporates ML-KEM and ML-DSA; NIST standardized post-quantum algorithms for key establishment and authentication.
- Dynamic group membership management allows AI agents to join and leave communication groups seamlessly. This is particularly important in distributed AI systems where agents may come online and offline dynamically based on computational needs or system requirements.
- The scalable key management system in MLS uses a tree-based structure that efficiently handles groups ranging from just a few agents to thousands of participants. This scalability is essential for large-scale AI deployments where numerous agents need to coordinate their activities.
- Allows the use of FIPS 140-3 approved algorithms such as AES-GCM, ECDSA and ECDHE; well-established, modern cryptographic primitives.
At wolfSSL, we recognize the importance of MLS in the evolving landscape of secure communications. We are actively working on an MLS implementation and have detailed our progress in our recent blog post about how MLS is on track for broader adoption (https://www.wolfssl.com/mls-messaging-layer-security-is-on-track/). Notably, wolfSSL will be the first to bring post-quantum algorithm implementations to MLS and therefore to SLIM, ensuring that AI agent communication remains secure even in the face of future quantum computing threats. Our commitment to supporting emerging security protocols ensures that developers building the next generation of secure applications, including AI agent communication systems like SLIM, have access to robust, well-tested cryptographic implementations. Moreover, with our multiple FIPS 140-3 certificates, we can provide cryptographic implementations that are tested and trusted within the federal government.
While wolfSSL does not currently implement MLS itself, our ongoing work continues to move forward. Want to see this effort accelerated? The best way to raise the priority is to let us know you’re interested. Send a message to facts@wolfssl.com to register your interest in SLIM and MLS.
If you have questions about any of the above, please contact us at facts@wolfssl.com or call us at +1 425 245 8247.
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