Patent attributes
A malicious encrypted traffic inhibitor connected to a computer network is disclosed. A method for inhibiting malicious encrypted network traffic communicated via a computer network also is disclosed. The malicious encrypted traffic inhibitor and method utilize an estimated measure of entropy for a portion of network traffic communicated over a network connection via the computer network. The estimated measure of entropy is calculated as a measure of a degree of indeterminacy of information communicated via the network connection, such as an estimated measure of Shannon entropy, and then compared with a reference measure of entropy for malicious encrypted network traffic. If the estimated measure of entropy for traffic communicated via the computer network is sufficiently similar to the reference measure of entropy, a positive identification of malicious traffic on the computer network can be output.
