Which protocol was developed by Netscape and is the foundation for secure web transactions?

Which protocol was developed by Netscape and is the foundation for secure web transactions?

• A. HTTPS
• B. IPSec
• C. SSL
• D. SSH

Answer: (C)

Securing web traffic relies on a protocol that creates a trusted, encrypted channel between a browser and a server. Netscape introduced Secure Sockets Layer to provide encryption, authentication, and data integrity for web communications. The SSL handshake negotiates cryptographic parameters and establishes a session key, which both sides use to encrypt the data, ensuring confidentiality and tamper protection for HTTP exchanges. This protocol established the standard for secure online transactions, and while TLS later replaced SSL and is now the common security layer, TLS inherits from the Netscape-origin protocol. HTTPS is HTTP run over that security layer, not the Netscape-origin protocol itself. The other options address different purposes: IPSec secures IP packets at the network layer, SSH secures remote logins, and HTTPS relies on the SSL/TLS layer rather than being the original protocol itself.

Securing web traffic relies on a protocol that creates a trusted, encrypted channel between a browser and a server. Netscape introduced Secure Sockets Layer to provide encryption, authentication, and data integrity for web communications. The SSL handshake negotiates cryptographic parameters and establishes a session key, which both sides use to encrypt the data, ensuring confidentiality and tamper protection for HTTP exchanges. This protocol established the standard for secure online transactions, and while TLS later replaced SSL and is now the common security layer, TLS inherits from the Netscape-origin protocol. HTTPS is HTTP run over that security layer, not the Netscape-origin protocol itself. The other options address different purposes: IPSec secures IP packets at the network layer, SSH secures remote logins, and HTTPS relies on the SSL/TLS layer rather than being the original protocol itself.