In Code Dress messaging, which portion must be transmitted in the clear?

• A. The header
• B. The body
• C. The encryption key
• D. The footer

Answer: (A)

In Code Dress messaging, routing and delivery depend on the transport metadata that must be readable by every hop along the path. That information is kept in the header, so the header must be transmitted in the clear to allow network devices to forward the message to the correct destination, apply any handling rules, and manage timing or priority. The actual message content is the body, which is encrypted to protect confidentiality so unauthorized parties cannot read the payload. The encryption key used to protect the body should never be sent in the clear; it must be exchanged or established through a secure mechanism so only the intended recipient can decrypt. The footer, while it may carry additional signals or integrity checks, does not govern delivery and is not required for routing, so the essential requirement is that the header remains readable for proper delivery.