Web and XML Glossary

S-HTTP is an extension of HTTP providing independently applicable security services for transaction confidentiality, authenticity/integrity and non-repudiability of origin. The protocol emphasizes maximum flexibility in choice of key management mechanisms, security policies and cryptographic Algorithms by supporting option negotiation between parties for each transaction. Message protection can be provided on three orthogonal axes: signature, Authentication, and Encryption. Any message may be signed, authenticated, encrypted, or any combination of these (including no protection). Several cryptographic message format standards may be incorporated into S-HTTP clients and servers, particularly, but in principle not limited to, PKCS-7 and PEM. S-HTTP-aware clients can communicate with S-HTTP-oblivious servers and vice-versa. Cryptographic Algorithms supported by S-HTTP include DES, two-key and three-key 3DES, DESX, IDEA, RC2, and CDMF.