Failure Pattern: Network Detection
Encrypted traffic hides payloads and actors. Network detection tools only see ports and IPs, not true identity.
What We See in the Field
Attackers move laterally using encrypted channels. Tools see encrypted packets between trusted systems and cannot detect imposters behind the encryption.
Underlying Causes
TLS hides identity
Tools rely on metadata
No per-session identity
East-west traffic assumed safe
Encryption trusted without verification
Trust-Native Network Resolution
DTL binds identity to encryption. Tools see trusted identity for each session even when payloads remain encrypted. Imposters cannot create valid sessions.
Broken Trust Assumption
This failure pattern has played out repeatedly in real security incidents—not because of missing tools, but because of how trust is assigned.
In breaches such as SolarWinds, Capital One, Okta, and MOVEit, attackers did not bypass security controls. They operated through them, using valid identities, trusted credentials, signed code, and encrypted sessions. Security systems accepted these signals as proof of legitimacy, allowing malicious behavior to proceed.
The common thread across these incidents is structural: identity was assumed based on trust signals, not proven at the moment of execution.