Navy finds a way to discover malware in encrypted traffic

Kris Osborn:

The Pentagon is working with major industry tech developers to use artificial intelligence and cloud computing to detect enemy cyberattacks buried or otherwise obscured beneath encrypted web traffic.

Algorithms calling upon advanced AI are being used to quickly access vast pools of data to perform real-time analytics designed to detect patterns and anomalies associated with malware.

“Every day, the Defense Department thwarts an estimated 36 million e-mails containing malware, viruses and phishing schemes from hackers, terrorists and foreign adversaries trying to gain unauthorized access to military systems,” Pentagon spokeswoman Heather Babb told Warrior Maven.

One particular technique, now being developed by CISCO systems for the Navy, seeks to address a particular irony or cybersecurity paradox; namely, while much DoD network traffic is encrypted for additional safety, encryption can also make it more difficult for cyber defenders to see hidden malware in the traffic.

CISCO is now prototyping new detection methods with the Navy.

“We have the ability to read and detect malware in encrypted web traffic. Even though the data is encrypted there is still a pattern to malware,” Kelly Jones, Systems Engineer for CISCO Navy programs, told Warrior Maven.
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There is much more. 

This is an important breakthrough.  It could lead to the ability to counterattack those responsible for the cyber attacks.  If it could do that it will make the attacks much more dangerous for the aggressor.