SSL & SET

Question 1

What is SSL/TLS?

Answer 1

SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. TLS stands for Transport Layer Security. In today’s context, SSL and TLS are synonymous.

SSL/TLS provides a technological standard for secure communication over web protocols such as HTTP. It can facilitate server authentication using digital certificate and confidentiality/privacy through encryption.

It uses public key cryptography to generate and exchange a (symmetric) shared secret key between client and server, therefore it is considered a hybrid cryptographic system.

Question 2

What is the main difference between SET and SSL?

Answer 2

SSL can only achieve confidentiality, but SET achieves confidentiality, non-repudiation and authentication. Therefore, SSL cannot prevent fraudulent transactions.

Question 3

Why did SET fail?

Question 4

What are the advantages of SSL/TLS?

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of SSL/TLS?

Answer 5

1. SSL/TLS can slow down servers.
2. It only protects data in transit, not in databases.
3. SSL/TLS is can only facilitate communication between no more than two parties.
4. SSL/TLS cannot authenticate the actual identities of the persons behind the client and server. Therefore, it cannot detect masquerading.

Question 6

What is SET?

Answer 6

SET stands for Secure Electronic Transaction. It was a messaging security protocol used to secure bank-card payment transactions. The bank’s customer is provided with a SET card which contains a digital certificate issued by a trusted certificate holder, allowing for authentication and non-repudiation.

Question 7

How does SSL/TLS 1.3 handshake protocol work?

Answer 7

The handshake is the most complex part of SSL/TLS protocol.

Question 8

What are the advantages of SET?

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of SET?