Which of the following are the ways of sending secure e-mail messages over the Internet? Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose two.

The correct answer is A. PGP B. SMIME. PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) are both purpose-built standards for end-to-end email encryption and digital signing - they encrypt the message content itself, ensuring only the intended recipient can read it regardless of which

Security Planning and Design

Question

Options

APGP
BSMIME
CTLS
DIPSec

How the community answered

(48 responses)

A
88% (42)
C
8% (4)
D
4% (2)

Explanation

PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) are both purpose-built standards for end-to-end email encryption and digital signing - they encrypt the message content itself, ensuring only the intended recipient can read it regardless of which servers the message passes through.

TLS (C) is wrong because it secures the transport channel between mail servers, not the email message itself. Once the message lands on a server, it is no longer protected by TLS - it's in-transit encryption, not end-to-end.

IPSec (D) is wrong because it operates at the network (IP) layer and encrypts IP packets broadly - it is not email-specific and does not provide message-level encryption.

Memory tip: Think "PGP and S/MIME seal the envelope; TLS and IPSec secure the road." For exam questions about secure email specifically, look for standards that work at the message/application layer, not the transport or network layer.

Topics

#Email security#PGP#S/MIME#Cryptographic protocols

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