Blue Coat Systems has announced new Secure Socket Layer
(SSL) proxy functionality for its ProxySG platform to tackle a
“blind spot” in network security.
SSL communications make up a growing percentage of corporate
internet traffic. But encrypted SSL connections can be a security
risk, offering a pathway or tunnel for viruses and spyware. SSL
traffic eludes inspection or control, creating a security “blind
spot”.
Blue Coat warned, “Traveling unmonitored and unchecked through
the firewall’s fully open port 443, threat traffic has formed a
new highway for enterprise vulnerability.”
The new SSL proxy is designed to help businesses prevent viruses
and spyware from infiltrating their networks through encrypted
tunnels. It will enable companies to terminate, inspect, impose
policy and block or re-issue users’ encrypted traffic. It can also
deny threats from phishing attempts that use SSL as a cloaking
mechanism, Blue Coat said.
The new SSL proxy functionality is a licensable option of the
SGOS version 4.2 operating software for the ProxySG family. The
new version will be available in January 2006.