According to the following quote, SSL provides point-to-point protection:
Transport security is used to provide point-to-point protection between two endpoints (service and client). If there are intermediate systems between the client and the server, each intermediate point should move forward the message over a new SSL connection.
a) What does peer-to-peer SSL mean?
b) Is SSL communication between the client and the server available if the intermediate system (located between the client and the server) sends the message over a non-SSL connection?
c) Assuming this is possible ... I don’t understand why an intermediate system for sending messages over a non-SSL connection would provide less security, because the messages were already encrypted by the original sender (which is either a client or a server), and thus cannot be decrypted by intermediate systems?
Thank you
EDIT:
One limitation of transport security is that it relies on every “step” and a network path participant that has consistently provided security. In other words, if a message should move through an intermediary before reaching the goal, no way to ensure transport safety was included for the post-intermediary stage (unless this intermediate diary is completely controlled by the original service provider). If this security is not reproduced accurately, data may be compromised downstream. In addition, the intermediary must be trusted not to change the message until the transfer continues. These considerations are especially important for services available over Internet routes and are generally less important for systems consumed on a corporate intranet.
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