Is the cipher key used for TLS?

What is the difference between using the cipher key and using TLS (formerly SSL)?

TLS and a cipher key are independent mechanisms - they can be used either separately or together.

• TLS encrypts traffic between an end-point (browser, mobile device, etc) and PubNub's Network.
• Using a cipher key (AES), data is encrypted between two end-points. In other words, the data is encrypted from one device, through PubNub's Network (into Storage) and onto the receiving device(s).
  
  NOTE: PubNub does not have access to your cipher key, therefore, no third party could ever ask PubNub to provide those keys for any reason. They would have to come to you to ask for the cipher key.