iTP Secure WebServer System Administrator's Guide (iTPWebSvr 6.0+)

Security Concepts
iTP Secure WebServer System Administrator’s Guide—523346-002
D-9
Private Communications Technology (PCT)
Private Communications Technology (PCT)
The Private Communications Technology (PCT) protocol is the Microsoft version of the
SSL protocol. The two protocols are very similar and use the same port to accept
requests.
You can configure your server to accept SSL, PCT, or both, using the
AcceptSecureTransport configuration directive (the default is to accept both SSL
and PCT). For example, to allow only PCT requests, use the following directive:
AcceptSecureTransport -nossl
You can use the AcceptSecureTransport Region command to limit access to a
certain region to SSL or PCT requests (again, the default is to allow both types of
requests). For example, to allow only SSL requests within a certain region, use the
following script:
Region /cookbook/secret-recipes.html {
RequireSecureTransport -nopct
}
Other than limiting server processing, region access, or both to either PCT or SSL, the
deployment of SSL and PCT is identical.
Comparing SSL and PCT
This section compares the design and relative advantages of SSL and PCT.
Design Goals
SSL was designed to provide a secure channel between a web client and a server for
all communications. The entire data stream between the web client and the server is
encrypted; clients and servers do not negotiate about the application of particular
security enhancements to individual documents. In most cases, clients can verify that
servers have a certificate issued by a trusted CA; however, servers cannot likewise
authenticate clients.
The design goals of PCT are similar to those of SSL. An additional goal was to improve
the security of the SSL protocol. See the PCT and SSL protocol specifications for
details.
Relative Advantages
SSL and PCT both provide private communications. They each allow user names and
passwords to be carried in encrypted messages for authentication.
In choosing a protocol for your server, in addition to considering relative advantages,
you also need to consider which protocol your clients will be using. The best solution is
for your server to be able to service both protocols to the fullest extent possible.