Cisco Cyber Security Practice Exam

What security technique uses encryption to secure data transmitted over the internet?

1. SSL/TLS

2. VPN

3. Firewall

4. Proxy server

The correct answer is: SSL/TLS

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are protocols specifically designed to provide secure communication over the internet by encrypting the data transmitted between a client and a server. This encryption ensures that any data exchanged remains confidential and cannot be intercepted or tampered with by unauthorized parties. SSL/TLS operates on various layers of the internet protocol stack, primarily at the transport layer, which allows it to secure various types of network protocols, including HTTP, FTP, and more. When SSL/TLS is implemented, it not only encrypts the data but also authenticates the server (and optionally the client), which helps to ensure that the data is being sent to the intended recipient and not an imposter. In contrast, while VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) also use encryption to create a secure tunnel for data transmission over public networks, their primary function is to provide a secure connection to a private network rather than to specifically handle the encryption of data over the internet. Firewalls are focused on filtering and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, while proxy servers primarily act as intermediaries for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers, without necessarily encrypting the data being transmitted. Thus, SSL/TLS stands out