Steve Dirickson (Volt) wrote

> That isn't quite how it works. Use of server or client certificates is
> optional; even if used, they have nothing to do with securing the data
> exchanged--certificates are used only to authenticate that the other end
> is really who it claims to be.


The use of server certificates is optional in SSL/TLS, but I think that all
the browsers require them as policy.  I haven't been able to verify that,
though.

When a server certificate is used--which, in practice, it always is--then
the key in the certificate is used instead of the ServerKeyExchange.
Because the certificates can be verified from out-of-band data, they protect
against active man-in-the-middle attacks.  Non-certificate key exchanges
only protect against passive eavesdroppers.

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