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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Intermediate

TLS Inspection

Decrypting, inspecting, and re-encrypting TLS traffic at a security device to detect hidden threats and data loss.

Definition

Also called SSL/TLS decryption or break and inspect, it requires clients to trust the inspecting device's CA certificate. It allows NGFWs, SWGs, and DLP tools to see encrypted payloads. Privacy, legal, and compatibility considerations apply; certificate-pinned applications and sensitive categories like healthcare and banking are often exempted.

Example

A Palo Alto firewall uses SSL Forward Proxy decryption with an enterprise subordinate CA deployed to all endpoints.

Exam tip

TLS inspection breaks certificate pinning; endpoints must trust the inspection CA.

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