Threat Intelligence in Cybersecurity
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Encrypted Traffic Analysis
Course Description
With the growing use of encrypted traffic, the traditional approach of Network Forensics should also include SSL/TLS Forensics. Therefore, Encrypted Traffic Analysis is the process of capturing information exchanged through SSL (TLS) connections and trying to visualise and extract meaningful information from it to help in forensics analysis and tracing suspicious activities over encrypted channels. Encrypted Traffic Analysis (ETA) tries to extract meaningful insights from encrypted network traffic without requiring decrypting it.
This methodology enhances visibility into encrypted traffic without introducing scalability issues, latency concerns, or privacy violations. As the prevalence of malware campaigns concealed within encrypted traffic continues to rise, the ability to detect malicious SSL traffic becomes vital in ensuring compliance and maintaining the required level of protection.
Encrypted Traffic Analysis employs various methods to analyse encrypted traffic, allowing organisations to extract valuable information while still respecting the privacy and security provided by encryption. Traditionally, network traffic analysis involved inspecting unencrypted data packets to understand network behaviour, detect anomalies, and identify potential security threats. However, the widespread use of encryption, particularly Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols, has made it more difficult to inspect network traffic content.
Our Encrypted Traffic Analysis (ETA) course trains you to understand how to analyse encrypted network traffic to extract useful information and gain insights about communication patterns, content, or metadata, even when the data is protected by encryption. ETA techniques aim to overcome the challenges posed by the increasing prevalence of encryption in network communications.
Course Highlights
- Network Visibility:
Gain an understanding of how network visibility, enabling the analysis of network traffic to extract valuable information and detect potential threats.
- Deep Packet Inspection:
Learn about the Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) concept and its role in Network Visibility.
- Role of DPI in NDR:
Discover the crucial role of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) in Network Detection and Response (NDR) solutions.
- Illustration using a plain text HTTP capture:
Examine a practical example of analysing plain text HTTP traffic to illustrate the principles and techniques of network detection and response through DPI..
- Why SSL/TLS encrypted traffic is a challenge?
Explore the reasons why encryption can impede network visibility and hinder the identification of malicious activities within encrypted network traffic..
- Insights from SSL/TLS:
Learn how to extract valuable insights from SSL/TLS encrypted traffic without decrypting the data.
- SSL Fingerprint – JA3 and JA3S:
Explore the concept of SSL fingerprinting, with a focus on the JA3 and JA3S techniques.
- How to use SSL Fingerprint for Malware Tracking:
Learn practical methodologies for utilising SSL fingerprinting to track and identify malware within encrypted traffic.
- SSL Fingerprint for OS / Application detection:
Discover how SSL fingerprinting techniques can be applied to detect specific operating systems (OS) and applications within encrypted traffic.
- Certificate Hash and its Use:
Gain an understanding of certificate hashing techniques and their role in detecting blacklisted, revoked certificates used in secure communications.
- How are SSL-encrypted attacks stopped?
Learn about techniques, tools, and best practices for mitigating the risks associated with attacks that leverage SSL/TLS encryption.
- Illustrations with 1-2 Attack examples:
Study real-world attack examples and understand how Encrypted Traffic Analysis can be employed to detect and mitigate such attacks. Gain insights into the practical application of Encrypted Traffic Analysis techniques in addressing specific attack scenarios.
- Reference to some Open Source Tools:
Explore a selection of open-source tools commonly used for Encrypted Traffic Analysis. Learn about their features, capabilities, and how they can be utilised to enhance network visibility and threat detection.
- Directions for Future Research:
Explore emerging trends, challenges, and potential research areas in the Encrypted Traffic Analysis field.
Eligibility requirements / Prerequisite knowledge
- Basic understanding of networking protocols and concepts: Familiarity with TCP/IP, network layers, and common network protocols (e.g., HTTP, DNS) would be beneficial.
- Knowledge of cybersecurity fundamentals: A foundational understanding of cybersecurity principles, threats, and common attack vectors would be helpful.
- Familiarity with cryptographic primitives and knowledge of SSL/TLS protocol is required.
- Networking experience: Prior experience in network administration, security analysis, or a related field would provide a solid foundation for understanding network traffic analysis.
Who should take this course?
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