Hostile Network

A Hostile Network is any Network where you have no control on who is using it and who can see information you’re transmitting. The most well known example is the internet.

Using a Hostile Network has plenty of advantages, among which the ability to communicate with third parties. But in order to be able to use it one must address the disadvantages of such a network. This can include:

• Endpoint Validation, to make sure that we are talking to the intended recipient, and not a Man in the Middle pretending to be the intended recipient.
• Encryption, to make sure that only the intended recipient can read the transmitted information.
• Integrity, to enable the recipient to assert that it was us who sent the message (after all, anyone can Encrypt a message for the recipient, and potentially make it appear as if we sent the message).