Tunneling data traffic and signaling over secure etls over wireless local area networks

A device configured to establish a secure link layer connection over a wireless area network (WLAN), the device comprises a circuitry configured to:

• send a transport layer security (TLS) type Ethernet frame carrying a TLS client Hello message over a link layer connection for establishment of a secure TLS tunnel over Ethernet (ETLS) between the device and a receiver of the TLS type Ethernet frame;
• upon receipt from the receiver of a TLS server Hello message encapsulated in the TLS type Ethernet frame, establish the secure ETLS between the device and the receiver in accordance with TLS handshake messages encapsulated in the TLS type Ethernet frame;
• and
• tunnel selected data traffic and signaling over the secure ETLS wherein the selected data traffic is encrypted and encapsulated in a data TLS type Ethernet frame.

A method for establishing a secure link over a wireless area network (WLAN), the method executed at a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

• sending a transport layer security (TLS) type Ethernet frame carrying a TLS client Hello message over a link layer connection for establishment of a secure TLS tunnel over Ethernet (ETLS) between the UE and a receiver of the TLS type Ethernet frame;
• upon obtaining from the receiver a TLS server Hello message encapsulated in the TLS type Ethernet frame, establishing the secure ETLS between the UE and the receiver in accordance with TLS handshake messages encapsulated in the TLS type Ethernet frame;
• and
• tunneling selected data traffic and signaling over the secure ETLS, wherein the selected data traffic is encrypted and encapsulated in a data TLS type Ethernet frame.