In this chapter we've covered the basics of secure systems, including the fundamental concepts and some of the mechanisms used to construct secure systems. Although peer-to-peer architecture is different in many respects from the traditional client-server architecture, the same principles of security apply, and many of the same mechanisms can be employed. Where peer-to-peer systems have differing requirements, the mechanisms can be adapted. In some cases, peer-to-peer requires a unique solution, particularly for those involving identity and anonymity. With the information presented here, you should be able to make decisions about the technologies that can be integrated into peer-to-peer applications to make them secure. You have learned about some useful toolkits, including Intel's peer-to-peer library that can help you quickly secure your application. Java provides a suite of APIs that makes it possible to use almost any of the mechanisms explored in this chapter. Finally, you are also prepared to recognize the issues peculiar to peer-to-peer systems and explore security in more depth. |