Systems Security Certified Practitioner – SSCP – Question0683

Which of the following protocols that provide integrity and authentication for IPSec, can also provide non-repudiation in IPSec?

A.
Authentication Header (AH)
B. Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP)
C. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
D. Secure Shell (SSH-2)

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

As per the RFC in reference, the Authentication Header (AH) protocol is a mechanism for providing strong integrity and authentication for IP datagrams. It might also provide non-repudiation, depending on which cryptographic algorithm is used and how keying is performed. For example, use of an asymmetric digital signature algorithm, such as RSA, could provide non-repudiation.
from a cryptography point of view, so we will cover it from a VPN point of view here. IPSec is a suite of protocols that was developed to specifically protect IP traffic. IPv4 does not have any integrated security, so IPSec was developed to bolt onto IP and secure the data the protocol transmits. Where PPTP and L2TP work at the data link layer, IPSec works at the network layer of the OSI model. The main protocols that make up the IPSec suite and their basic functionality are as follows: A. Authentication Header (AH) provides data integrity, data origin authentication, and protection from replay attacks. B. Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) provides confidentiality, data-origin authentication, and data integrity. C. Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) provides a framework for security association creation and key exchange. D. Internet Key Exchange (IKE) provides authenticated keying material for use with ISAKMP.
The following are incorrect answers:
ESP is a mechanism for providing integrity and confidentiality to IP datagrams. It may also provide authentication, depending on which lgorithm and algorithm mode are used. Non-repudiation and protection from traffic analysis are not provided by ESP (RFC 1827). SSL is a secure protocol used for transmitting private information over the Internet. It works by using a public key to encrypt data that is transferred of the SSL connection. OIG 2007, page 976 SSH-2 is a secure, efficient, and portable version of SSH (Secure Shell) which is a secure replacement for telnet.
Reference(s) used for this question: Shon Harris, CISSP All In One, 6th Edition , Page 705 and RFC 1826, http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1826, paragraph 1.