What type of key exchange methods can HTTPS utilize?

HTTPS, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, utilizes various key exchange methods to establish a secure connection between a client and a server. The correct answer highlights that HTTPS can use public key exchange methods, which play a crucial role in enabling secure data transmission over the internet.

In the context of HTTPS, when a client attempts to connect to a server, it employs the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or its successor, Transport Layer Security (TLS). During the initial stages of this process, a public key exchange occurs wherein the server shares its public key with the client. This allows the client to encrypt a shared secret that can only be decrypted by the server, thus ensuring a secure session.

Public key exchange methods, such as RSA or Diffie-Hellman, enable the establishment of a secure communication channel without the need to transmit a shared secret directly. This approach helps prevent man-in-the-middle attacks and establishes a level of trust in the communication process.

The other choices suggest limitations in the key exchange process. Asymmetric encryption alone would imply that only one type of key exchange is used, disregarding the role of symmetric encryption that follows to encrypt the actual data transmitted. Symmetric encryption alone would not suffice for initial secure communication due to the need