In today’s digital landscape, the ever-increasing prevalence of encryption poses significant challenges for organizations hoping to maintain network security. The lack of visibility into encrypted traffic leaves organizations vulnerable to threats. However, Cisco has introduced an innovative solution that addresses this issue head-on: the Cisco Encrypted Visibility Engine (EVE).
Importance of encrypted traffic visibility
As encryption becomes the norm, nearly 95% of internet traffic is now encrypted. While encryption enhances privacy and data protection, it simultaneously reduces visibility for organizations, offering a safe haven for cybercriminals to conceal threats and malicious activities.
Features of Cisco Encrypted Visibility Engine
Cisco’s Enhanced EVE, integrated into the Secure Firewall operating system’s 7.4 version, offers a range of powerful features designed to address the challenges posed by encrypted traffic. The Cisco Encrypted Visibility Engine employs cutting-edge technology to discern potential threats and identify the applications within encrypted traffic. This enables network administrators to gain crucial insights without the need for decryption. By seamlessly integrating with the Secure Firewall operating system, EVE provides a robust security framework that enhances network protection and mitigates potential risks associated with encrypted traffic.
Detection of client applications within encrypted tunnels
The advanced capabilities of EVE enable network administrators to not only detect the presence of encrypted tunnels but also determine the client application being used. This empowers administrators to make informed decisions regarding traffic management and potentially block traffic based on application identification.
Blocking traffic based on application identification
EVE’s ability to identify client applications within encrypted tunnels allows firewall administrators to implement granular policies to block specific applications that may pose security risks, further enhancing network security.
The problem of encrypted internet traffic
The exponential growth of encrypted internet traffic has presented a significant obstacle for organizations seeking comprehensive network visibility. Without the necessary tools, deciphering the content of encrypted traffic becomes an insurmountable challenge.
High percentage of encrypted traffic on the internet
The soaring numbers indicate that the majority of internet traffic is now encrypted. This makes it increasingly difficult for security operations teams to identify potential threats. The prevalence of encryption has drastically impacted organizations’ ability to monitor and analyze network traffic effectively. This lack of visibility leaves security teams blind to potential vulnerabilities and compromises their ability to safeguard critical information.
How Cisco addresses the issue
Recognizing the urgent need for a solution that provides visibility into encrypted traffic, Cisco has developed the Encrypted Visibility Engine. This offering provides organizations with the security they need without sacrificing data privacy or performance. Cisco’s innovative solution enables network administrators to achieve visibility into encrypted traffic without resorting to decryption, resolving the privacy concerns associated with exposing sensitive information. To ensure optimal protection, Cisco gathers network and security trend data from various sources, such as the renowned Cisco Talos, to conduct traffic threat scoring. This enables the Cisco Encrypted Visibility Engine to accurately identify potential threats and subsequently block traffic based on the threat level.
Objectives of Cisco Encrypted Visibility Engine
With the introduction of the Encrypted Visibility Engine, Cisco aims to accomplish several critical objectives, ensuring comprehensive security in an encrypted landscape. EVE’s ability to identify client processes within encrypted tunnels enables security operations teams to swiftly detect and address the presence of unauthorized applications, ensuring the network remains secure. By examining the encrypted traffic for abnormalities and leveraging the power of machine learning, EVE aids in identifying potential malware hidden within encrypted content. This proactive approach empowers organizations to stay one step ahead of cyber threats.
Enabling efficient security operations
The advanced capabilities of the Cisco Encrypted Visibility Engine streamline the security operations process, empowering network administrators to identify and mitigate potential risks efficiently. By providing critical insights into encrypted traffic, organizations can allocate resources effectively and prioritize security measures.
Introduction of Multicloud Defense service
Complementing the Encrypted Visibility Engine, Cisco has also introduced Multicloud Defense, a service designed to manage workload security across multiple cloud platforms. Multicloud Defense offers organizations a unified and centralized approach to monitoring and securing workloads across various cloud platforms. This ensures consistent security policies and reduces the risk of vulnerabilities through streamlined management.
Addressing the growing need for application security
The rapid growth of the application protection and availability market, predicted to reach $5.7 billion by 2026, underscores the increasing importance of application security. Cisco’s Multicloud Defense service caters to this demand by delivering robust security solutions specifically tailored to protect applications across diverse cloud environments.
As the prevalence of encrypted traffic continues to rise, ensuring network security requires innovative solutions that address the challenges faced by organizations. The Cisco Encrypted Visibility Engine empowers organizations to gain crucial visibility into encrypted traffic without compromising data privacy or impeding network performance. With the introduction of Multicloud Defense, Cisco further solidifies its position as a leader in providing comprehensive security solutions across diverse cloud environments. By embracing Cisco’s offerings, organizations can embark on the path to a secure and resilient network infrastructure in the encrypted world.