In a healthcare network, which encryption method is commonly used to secure data transmitted over public networks?

• A. VPN
• B. TLS
• C. SSH
• D. IPsec

Answer: (B)

Securing data in transit over public networks is most effectively done with TLS. It provides encryption and integrity for the actual data exchanged between a client and a server at the application level, such as a web browser and a healthcare portal or API. TLS is widely adopted because it protects the common pathways through which patient information is transmitted over the internet—HTTPS, secure APIs, and other web-protocols—often with certificates that authenticate the parties and establish trusted connections.

VPNs create encrypted tunnels for network traffic, which is different from securing each individual application stream; they’re about the path rather than the content of each transmission. SSH focuses on securely administering remote systems and transferring files, not general data transmission across public networks. IPsec secures IP packets at the network layer, which is great for site-to-site or client-to-network VPNs but isn’t the everyday method used to protect standard data moving between clients and web services.

So TLS is the standard choice for protecting data as it moves over public networks in healthcare communications.