What are Encrypted Threats?
Encrypted threats are any threats that use encryption to go undetected. They include attack types like malware, ransomware, spear-phishing,
zero-day, data exfiltration, rogue sites, and more. Just as there are many types of encryption, there are many methods attackers use to transmit encrypted threats.
How to Recognize This Threat: One type of encrypted threat is a certificate vulnerability, in which the security certification of a particular website is not up to snuff – usually signified by an alert in your browser. In another, malware embeds all its communications inside an encrypted tunnel, so traditional network security cannot spot it. And yet another involves breaches of encrypted traffic, taking advantage of the encryption to execute man-in-the-middle attacks. Hackers use this attack type to intercept emails or steal credentials, transaction data, and other private information.
How to Prevent This Threat: Protecting against encrypted threats requires the latest technology, starting with a next generation firewall (NGFW). The latest firewalls are a starting point to deploy advanced security services, such as Deep Packet Inspection from SonicWall. This subscription add-on offers visibility into encrypted traffic, blocks encrypted malware downloads, and IDs unauthorized transmission of data to external systems.