What is DPI-SSL?

When you hear the term ‘encryption’ you probably think ‘security’. That’s a fair enough assumption because encryption is how most of today’s online traffic is kept protected. The problem is that this technology can be used by criminals for their benefit too, which calls for additional measures to keep end-users safe from cyber-attacks.

It is for this reason that DPI-SSL has become a priority for many businesses.

What is DPI-SSL and Why Do You Need it?

Firstly, let’s define SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). SSL is the technology used to encrypt information sent between servers and browsers. For example, this technology keeps your personal information, that you type into your bank’s online banking page, safe from prying eyes.

The challenge comes when criminals use this same technology to protect their own information, such as malware or a virus. A standard firewall may not recognize the threat and allow the information to pass through to your device or network.

To identify threats, you need DPI-SSL, or Deep Pocket Inspection of all SSL data that’s being sent or received. This technology acts as a checkpoint: it can decrypt information and determine if it’s threatening to the recipient or not. If it’s safe, it will allow it through, but if threats are detected it can block it from traveling further.

An Analogy for Clarity

You can think of online traffic as parcels or pieces of luggage. They travel between you and sources, such as your bank’s website or a link created by a criminal. Since you can’t see inside the luggage, you won’t know until you open the luggage whether it’s trustworthy content or malware.

DPI-SSL takes the guess work out of this scenario and uses ‘X-ray vision’ to look inside each piece of luggage. The technology determines if it’s harmful or not and will only pass on the safe pieces of luggage to you as an end-user.

The Importance for Your Business

It’s your responsibility to empower your team to perform their work optimally. In the modern environment, empowerment must include tools to cope with the technological aspect of daily tasks; and for many workers that includes the possibility of cyber-attacks.

With more and more of your business’ incoming traffic being encrypted the threat of receiving encrypted malware increases. Utilizing DPI-SSL on top of existing firewalls and other cyber security measures is how you empower your team & protect your business.

An Increasing Need for DPI-SSL

As the online environment changes, so the minimum requirements for cyber security changes. A few years ago, there wasn’t that much encrypted traffic. But today it’s estimated that over 80% of traffic has gone through encryption.

You can try and be vigilant, but threats aren’t that easy to identify: even advertisements on trusted websites may be created and encrypted by criminals hoping to access your network.

Here’s how it works: the website itself may be trustworthy, but the advertisements are placed by third party contractors. These contractors can’t always determine which ads are designed to harm online browsers. It has become more difficult over the years to ascertain which sources are trustworthy. Why? Because the system that issues digital certificates—proof of a source’s trustworthiness—has become less reliable. So, you have no guarantee that all those ads are safe to click on.

You need a practical way to ensure the current threat doesn’t put you or your business at risk.

Final Thoughts

DPI-SSL should be a priority for your business this year and we can assist. For DPI-SSL needs, we use SonicWall for our clients and you can talk to one of our team members about empowering your business to withstand future cyber-attacks.