ISAKMP is best described as which of the following?

ISAKMP is best described as which of the following?

• A. A key exchange protocol using Diffie-Hellman
• B. A framework for establishing and managing security associations
• C. A Windows service for IPsec
• D. A web debugging proxy

Answer: (B)

ISAKMP is best described as a framework for establishing and managing security associations. It provides the rules, message formats, and procedures that let two endpoints negotiate and maintain the cryptographic parameters that protect their communication. An SA defines the security parameters for one direction of traffic—such as which encryption and integrity algorithms, keys, and lifetimes to use—and IPsec relies on a pair of SAs (one for each direction). ISAKMP handles the negotiation, authentication, and lifecycle of these SAs, typically via the IKE process. It sets up how peers agree on which algorithms to use, how keys are exchanged or derived, and how SAs are refreshed or torn down. It does not itself perform encryption or specify a single key-exchange algorithm, though components like Diffie-Hellman can be used within the ISAKMP/IKE negotiation. It is not a Windows service for IPsec nor a web debugging proxy.

ISAKMP is best described as a framework for establishing and managing security associations. It provides the rules, message formats, and procedures that let two endpoints negotiate and maintain the cryptographic parameters that protect their communication. An SA defines the security parameters for one direction of traffic—such as which encryption and integrity algorithms, keys, and lifetimes to use—and IPsec relies on a pair of SAs (one for each direction). ISAKMP handles the negotiation, authentication, and lifecycle of these SAs, typically via the IKE process. It sets up how peers agree on which algorithms to use, how keys are exchanged or derived, and how SAs are refreshed or torn down. It does not itself perform encryption or specify a single key-exchange algorithm, though components like Diffie-Hellman can be used within the ISAKMP/IKE negotiation. It is not a Windows service for IPsec nor a web debugging proxy.