CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

Which layer of the OSI model is responsible for encryption protocols like SSL?

1. Network

2. Transport

3. Session

4. Presentation

The correct answer is: Presentation

The layer of the OSI model responsible for encryption protocols like SSL is the Presentation layer. This layer is primarily focused on data translation, formatting, and encryption/decryption, ensuring that data can be properly processed by the application layer above it. The Presentation layer deals with the syntax and semantics of the transmitted information, converting it into a format that the receiving system can understand, which includes encoding and decoding data as well as applying encryption protocols. While the Transport layer manages data transmission and provides end-to-end communication, it does not concern itself explicitly with the data representation or specific encryption methods. Similarly, the Session layer is focused on establishing, managing, and terminating sessions between applications, but does not handle the details of data encryption. The Network layer, on the other hand, is mainly responsible for routing packets across the network and managing logical addressing, which is also separate from encryption processes. Therefore, the Presentation layer is the correct answer when identifying where encryption protocols like SSL function within the OSI model.