Snode's New U.S. Patent Signals a Shift Away from Breaking Encryption in Cybersecurity

Encryption, while critical for protecting data, poses a challenge for cybersecurity teams by limiting visibility. A typical response has been to decrypt data packets at the network perimeter, inspect them, and then re-encrypt them before they continue through the environment. This practice has become widely adopted. However, it also introduces new operational and security considerations.

For example, network interception appliances that store private keys have become high-value targets. If such a device is compromised, the exposure extends well beyond the original threat it was intended to detect. At the same time, most internet communications are now encrypted. Threat actors increasingly operate inside those encrypted channels, shielding their activity from cyber defenders. Added to this, in many environments, organisations control only a fraction of encryption keys used in outbound or third-party communications. As a result, interception-based inspection can never provide complete visibility.

Snode Technologies, an award-winning cyber defence firm, has been granted a United States patent for a detection method that identifies malicious activity in encrypted data packets without decrypting them or storing private keys. The patent, US 12,506,768 B2, formalises Snode's approach. Instead of inspecting encrypted content, it observes metadata, behaviour and relationships across network communications.

“Organisations simply can’t decrypt all the data streams passing through their networks. For streams they can decrypt, traditional solutions use SSL interception. This creates a Single Point of Compromise in your network,” says Nithen Naidoo, Chief Executive Officer of Snode. “Our patent introduces a new approach. It lets organisations detect threats within encrypted data traffic without breaking encryption. Now, you don’t have to choose between cybersecurity and privacy. Our patent proves you can protect users without decrypting their sensitive information.”

Snode’s patent looks at how that traffic behaves. It covers how systems communicate with each other, how often, and through which channels. Those patterns help cybersecurity defenders identify and prioritise network abnormalities that may indicate hostile behaviour, without having to open encrypted content.

For critical infrastructure, this is an important feature. Control systems in these environments are built to remain stable and predictable. They need oversight that does not impede production. Security teams working here need visibility into modern attack techniques. Many of these operate inside encrypted channels. Oversight must not introduce new instability into production networks. In fact, mines, energy providers, factories, and transport networks depend on control systems designed to remain stable. These predominantly machine-to-machine environments cannot tolerate security tools that interrupt communications, introduce latency, or create additional points of failure.

Nithen says, "Cybersecurity keeps using outdated approaches while attackers innovate. Our patent enables earlier and more accurate detection of threats at the network level, helping protect critical infrastructure and operational technology. These machine-to-machine environments are where the next generation of threats will emerge."

With the patent now granted, Snode Technologies now has another option on the table. Detecting threats within encrypted communications no longer requires decrypting data or placing private keys in network appliances. That removes a sensitive layer from the cyber defence stack. Encryption stays intact from end to end.

Nithen concludes, “At Snode, we want to solve problems that matter. Problems that make life better for everyone, no matter where they live. This patent is a meaningful step towards our goal: A future where critical systems can be protected intelligently and ethically.”