Encrypted traffic analysis acts can be a complete solution for curing risks of encrypted data with features like probable malware detection, bot identification, and some cryptographic analysis. 
 

Encrypted Traffic Analysis: Mitigating Against Risk of Encryption

Many websites are available on the internet; each of them has a certain motive, credibility, and privacy of the information. This implies that each of these web pages needs some protection; this is where traffic encryption comes into the limelight.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;By definition, traffic encryption is the process of securing the data being transmitted into and out of a website or a webpage. Also known as hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS), this makes sure the website’s data on the internet is layered with a secure channel. With the increase in traffic and the number of websites, hackers have been developing newer techniques for data extortion. Therefore, the story doesn’t end at encrypting the traffic but instead regularly analyzing the encrypted traffic.&nbsp;<h2>Encrypted Traffic Analysis (ETA): What is it?</h2>Encrypted traffic analysis acts can be a complete solution for curing risks of encrypted data with features like probable malware detection, bot identification, and some cryptographic analysis. These facets ensure that encrypted traffic analysis gets the website free from decryption (illegally). Additionally, this process makes the website smart enough to differentiate and filter out only malicious and non-compliant traffic.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Why Is Encrypted Traffic Analysis Considered Crucial?</h2>Hackers can take advantage of even minor glitches in traffic encryption. For this reason, an added layer of security through timely evaluation makes complete sense. Accordingly, here are a few reasons why one should consider ETA:&nbsp;&nbsp;●&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Bring back and improve the network visibility.&nbsp;Since encrypted traffic is not often secure, websites today restrict their incoming traffic remarkably, reducing their network visibility. With proper encrypted traffic analysis, not only the website’s visibility is restored, but it opens doors for further visibility.&nbsp;●&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Making every session useful for network exposure.&nbsp;Increasing the visibility may not always ensure that all this traffic can turn relevant. With encrypted traffic analysis, one can make sure that the incoming traffic is relevant to the website/enterprise.&nbsp;● Makes payments and forms secure by adding a layer of confirmation protocol.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Reducing The Risk of Encrypted Traffic: Best Practices To Choose From &nbsp;</h2>No matter how you employ the solution for traffic encryptions, the end result would be ensuring SSL traffic is beneficial for existing security systems deployed. Accordingly, these systems can be empowered, and risks can be reduced by following measures: &nbsp;●&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Intrusion prevention/detection systems (IPS/IDS):&nbsp;These are dedicated appliances available to procure from markets. Their focus is on inspecting the traffic coming and going out of the website through firewalls and gateways. The edge here is that they can be deployed easily on the line ensuring all rudimentary benefits. However, these may be as good as the traffic, which means that they may sometimes fail to identify threats disguised as traffic, such as: exploiting malware, attacks, overflows, bots, and DoS attacks. Some of the IPS presently available are: Trend Micro, CISCO, Alert Logic, and Fidelis.&nbsp;&nbsp;●&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Next-generation firewall (NGFW):&nbsp;As the name implies, enterprises move a step forward by choosing these. Some uplifting features include unmatchable application control, which could result in reduced surfaces for attack. Next-generation firewalls have been a secure option due to facets like packet filtering and smart intrusion detection. Some examples of NGFW include Forcepoint NGFW, Juniper Networks SRX series, CISCO FirePOWER series and Sophos CG series.&nbsp;&nbsp;●&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Source web gateway (SWG):&nbsp;These are intense internet security surfaces that are fabricated to constrain threats and ensure the security of encrypted traffic through advanced gateway filters. This evaluates malware, malicious bots &amp; codes, and signatures of unethical downloads. Some edges of the source web gateway are: filtering the URLs, control data and applications. Some of the recent and popular SWGs are Zscaler internet access, DNS filter, Symantec Web security service, and Cisco Umbrella.&nbsp; &nbsp;●&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Advanced threat protection (ATP):&nbsp;It is a set of habits that can ensure the protection of encrypted traffic. These are often combinations of practices such as malware protection, gateways, and centralized management. These have proven records of defending against attackers. Mostly, ATPs are used to diagnose and protect computer files from probable embedded threats. Some examples of ATPs today are Palo Alto Wildfire, Microsoft Defender, Fireeye Network security, and Sandblast network checkpoint.&nbsp; &nbsp;●&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Security Analytics and forensics along with data loss prevention (DLP):&nbsp;Forensics are used by experts for detecting threats that may probably pass through the filters. On the other hand, DLP helps in securing sensitive data. For instance, any data shared with the wrong source can be rectified.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Learning to Measure and Mitigate Encrypted Traffic Risks: Here’s How</h2>Learning about the process of traffic encryption analysis is equally important as knowing the measures to do so.&nbsp;Apart from this, there are three command and control techniques that ensure malicious activities are spotted. They are: Beaconing:&nbsp;It is the process of the infected process/system to establish the connection with control.&nbsp; TLS fingerprinting:&nbsp;This process creates a unique signature that can be easily noticeable in any network.&nbsp; Packet Length sequencing:&nbsp;A real-time trait analysis is based on the signature deviations, thereby sensing the possible threats. &nbsp;Ensuring these steps of practice can help anyone work towards mitigating and measuring the risks, thereby resolving them.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Concluding Thoughts&nbsp;</h2>The encrypted traffic may have some relevant repercussions. With recent technologies and trends, there are high chances of data theft and attacks. Now, enterprises have been enduring and searching for solutions and processes to get control over these adverse scenarios. ETAs can be exemplary for mitigating risks and resolving relevant issues like delayed system repairs and maintenance. Using the above insights about the methods and systems, you can create a fitting strategy to avoid typical risks for your enterprise.

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