CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

What is the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) primarily used for?

1. Web traffic encryption

2. Session termination

3. Establishing secure connections with IPSec

4. File transfer authorization

The correct answer is: Establishing secure connections with IPSec

The Internet Key Exchange (IKE) is primarily utilized for establishing secure connections, specifically in the context of Internet Protocol Security (IPSec). IKE is a protocol that facilitates the secure exchange of cryptographic keys, enabling the creation of a secure tunnel for IP traffic. This is essential for ensuring that data can be transmitted over the internet in a secure manner, protecting it from eavesdropping and tampering. IKE operates through a negotiation process where both parties authenticate each other and agree on the parameters that will be used for the secure connection, such as the algorithms and keys that will provide the encryption. This functionality is critical for implementing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and ensuring that data traveling between two endpoints remains confidential and integral. Other options like web traffic encryption and file transfer authorization are aspects related to data security but do not reflect the primary purpose of IKE, which focuses specifically on the establishment and management of secure communication sessions through IPSec. Similarly, session termination pertains to managing the end of a communication session rather than its establishment, which is the core function of IKE.