Systems Security Certified Practitioner – SSCP – Question1021

SMTP can best be described as:

A.
a host-to-host email protocol.
B. an email retrieval protocol.
C. a web-based e-mail reading protocol.
D. a standard defining the format of e-mail messages.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is a host-to-host email protocol. An SMTP server accepts email messages from other systems and stores them for the addressees. Stored email can be read in various ways. Users with interactive accounts on the email server machine can read the email using local email applications. Users on other systems can download their email via email clients using POP or IMAP email retrieval protocols. Sometimes mail can also be read through a web-based interface (using HTTP or HTTPS). MIME is a standard defining the format of e-mail messages, as stated in RFC2045.
Source: GUTTMAN, Barbara & BAGWILL, Robert, NIST Special Publication 800-xx, Internet Security Policy: A Technical Guide, Draft Version, May 25, 2000 (pages 91-92).