nanog mailing list archives

Re: HTTPS redirects to HTTP for monitoring


From: Andy Brezinsky <andy () mbrez com>
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 08:18:48 -0600

We use Fortinet firewalls and SSL (HTTPS, FTPS, IMAPS, POP3S, SMTPS, SSH) inspection is a standard feature. It works by rolling out a custom CA certificate from the device to all of the desktops and whenever you hit a SSL site, a cert signed with the CA is generated and presented to the user. If you look at the cert your browser has, you can tell the CA is different but most users aren't looking at that.

Our user base uses a lot of services that can't be forced to downgrade to HTTP so it's the only option. Fortinet has some configurations that allow you to exclude certain sites from the MiTM 'attack'. For example we don't scan banking, health care and personal privacy categories.

On 01/18/2015 06:29 AM, Grant Ridder wrote:
Hi Everyone,

I wanted to see what opinions and thoughts were out there.  What software,
appliances, or services are being used to monitor web traffic for
"inappropriate" content on the SSL side of things?  personal use?
enterprise enterprise?

It looks like Websense might do decryption (
http://community.websense.com/forums/t/3146.aspx) while Covenant Eyes does
some sort of session hijack to redirect to non-ssl (atleast for Google) (
https://twitter.com/CovenantEyes/status/451382865914105856).

Thoughts on having a product that decrypts SSL traffic internally vs one
that doesn't allow SSL to start with?

-Grant


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