The translation layer — Aptitude Question
The translation layer: Which OSI layer handles encryption, compression and the translation of data between… Answer and worked solution on CodeKairo.
- Topic: OS, DBMS & Networks
- Section: Programming MCQs
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time target: 45 seconds
Question
Which OSI layer handles encryption, compression and the translation of data between different character representations?
Options
- Application layer
- Presentation layer
- Session layer
- Transport layer
Show the answer and the worked solution
Correct answer: B. Presentation layer
Worked solution
- The session layer opens, manages and closes dialogues between applications, while the transport layer provides end-to-end delivery, segmentation and flow control.
- The application layer is where the user's protocol itself lives, such as HTTP or SMTP.
- Anything concerning the form the data takes on the wire — encoding, encryption, compression — belongs to the Presentation layer, layer 6.
Answer: Presentation layer.
The idea
The presentation and session layers exist only in the OSI model; in TCP/IP their duties are folded into the application layer, which is why TLS sits awkwardly between layers in practice.
Shortcut. Encryption, compression and encoding change how data is represented, not where it goes, which is the job of layer 6, presentation.
Common trap. "Application layer" is right for TCP/IP, where these duties fold into the application, but the question asks about the OSI model.