Clear Text

• Network traffic between browser and server consists of:
  • The HTTP protocol for transferring Web page content.
  • Image files and applets as octet streams.
  • Clear text.

• Network traffic can easily be monitored by others.
  • Packet sniffers can read messages being sent over LANs and WANs.
  • Telephone wiretaps can listen in on dial-up lines.
  • There is no way of finding out if a message sent over the Internet has been seen by an unauthorized third party.

Why is clear text a problem?

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© 2006 John Michael Pierobon

Notes