SONICWALL SonicOS 7.1 DPI-SSL User Guide

June 15, 2024
SONICWALL

SONICWALL SonicOS 7.1 DPI-SSL

SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-PRODUCT

Product Information

  • Specifications
    • Supported Features: DPI-SSL
    • Deployment Scenarios: Proxy Deployment Customizing DPI-SSL Connections per Appliance Model

Product Usage Instructions

  • DPI-SSL/TLS Client
    • Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS Client
    • To deploy the DPI-SSL/TLS Client, follow these steps:
    • Configure General DPI-SSL/TLS Client Settings.
    • Select the Re-Signing Certificate Authority.
    • Configure Exclusions and Inclusions.
    • Apply DPI-SSL/TLS Client.
    • Perform Content Filtering using DPI-SSL.
    • Filter Content by App Rules using DPI-SSL.
    • View DPI-SSL Status.
  • DPI-SSL/TLS Server
    • Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS Server
    • To deploy the DPI-SSL/TLS Server, follow these steps:
    • Configure General DPI-SSL/TLS Server Settings.
    • Configure Exclusions and Inclusions.
    • Configure Server-to-Certificate Pairings.
  • FAQ
    • About SonicOS
    • Working with SonicOS
    • SonicOS provides a web management interface for configuring, managing, and monitoring the features, policies, security services, connected devices, and threats to your network.
    • SonicOS runs on top of SonicCore, SonicWall’s secure underlying operating system. The SonicOS management interface facilitates:
    • Policy Mode provides a unified policy configuration workflow.
    • Classic Mode is more consistent with earlier releases of SonicOS.
    • How to Use the SonicOS Administration Guides
    • The SonicOS Administration Guides provide detailed instructions on how to configure and use the various features and services offered by SonicOS. It is recommended to refer to the specific guide for the feature or service you want to configure.
  • Guide Conventions
    • The Guide Conventions section explains the conventions used throughout the SonicOS Administration Guides, such as syntax formatting, button labels, and terminology.

This guide is a part of the SonicOS collection of administrative guides that describes how to administer and monitor the SonicWall family of firewalls. SonicOS provides network administrators the management interface, API (Application Program Interface), and the Command Line Interface (CLI) for firewall configuration by setting objects to secure and protect the network services, to manage traffic, and to provide the desired level of network service. This guide focuses on deploying and applying DPI-SSL/TLS Client and Server.

Topics:

  • Working with SonicOS
  • SonicOS Workflow
  • How to Use the SonicOS Administration Guides
  • Guide Conventions

Working with SonicOS

SonicOS provides a web management interface for configuring, managing, and monitoring the features, policies, security services, connected devices, and threats to your network. SonicOS runs on top of SonicCore, SonicWall’s secure underlying operating system.
The SonicOS management interface facilitates:

  • Setting up and configuring your firewall
  • Configuring external devices like access points or switches
  • Configuring networks and external system options that connect to your firewall
  • Defining objects and policies for protection
  • Monitoring the health and status of the security appliance, network, users, and connections
  • Monitoring traffic, users, and threats
  • Investigating events

SonicWall offers two different modes of operation in SonicOS; the modes differ mainly in the areas of policy, object configuration and diagnostics.

  • Policy Mode provides a unified policy configuration workflow. It combines Layer 3 to Layer 7 policy enforcement for security policies and optimizes the workflow for other policy types. This unified policy workflow gathers many security settings into one place, which were previously configured on different pages of the management interface.
  • Classic Mode is more consistent with earlier releases of SonicOS; you need to develop individual policies and actions for specific security services. The Classic Mode has a redesigned interface.

This table identifies which modes can be used on the different SonicWall firewalls:

Firewall Type Classic Mode Policy Mode Comments
TZ Series yes no The entry-level TZ Series, also known as desktop
      firewalls, deliver revamped features such as 5G
      readiness, better connectivity options, improved
      threat, SSL, and decryption performance that
      address HTPPS bandwidth issues; built-in SD-
      WAN, and lawful TLS 1.3 decryption support.
NSa Series yes no NSa firewalls provide your mid sized network with
      enhanced security . They are designed
      specifically for businesses with 250 and up. it can
      provide cloud-based and on-box capabilities like
      TLS/SSL decryption and inspection, application
      intelligence and control, SD-WAN, real-time
      visualization, and WLAN management.
NSsp 10700, NSsp 11700, yes no The NSsp platforms high-end firewalls that
NSsp 13700     deliver the advanced threat protection and fast
      speeds that large enterprises, data centers, and
      service providers need.
NSsp 15700 no yes The NSsp 15700 is designed for large distributed
      enterprises, data centers, government agencies
      and services providers. It provides advanced
      threat protection like Real-Time Deep Memory
      Inspection, multi-instance firewall configuration,
      and unified policy creation and modification, with
      scalability and availability.
NSv Series yes yes The NSv series firewalls offers all the security
      advantages of a physical firewall with the
      operational and economic benefits of
      virtualization. The NSv firewalls can operate in
      either Policy Mode or Classic Mode. You can
      switch between modes, but some configuration
      information from extra interfaces is removed.

In addition to the management interface, SonicOS also has a full-featured API and a CLI to manage the firewalls. For more information, refer to:

  • SonicOS 7.1 API Reference Guide

SonicOS Workflow

When working with SonicWall products, you can use the following workflow as a guide for setting up your security solution.

  • SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(1\)You begin your planning as you start making your purchasing decisions. Your sales partners can help you assess your network and make recommendations based on the kinds of security services you need. You can learn more about SonicWall products by reviewing product information and solutions. After selecting the solution, you can schedule your implementation.
  • After planning and scheduling your solution, you begin setting up the firewalls. The Getting Started Guides for your products can help you begin setting up the pieces to your solution. The getting started guides are designed to help you install the firewall to a minimal level of operation. Before performing any detailed configuration tasks described in the SonicOS Administration Guides, you should have your firewall set up and basic operation validated.
  • The configuration block of the workflow refers to the many tasks that combine to define how your firewall is integrated into your security solution and how it behaves when protecting your environment. Depending on the features of your security solution, this task can be quite complex. The System Administration Guides are broken into the key command sets and features. Some documents may be used for all solutions, but others may be used use only if you integrated that feature into your solution. For example,
  • High Availability or Wireless Access Points are not necessarily used by all customers. More information about a feature’s workflow is presented in the feature administration guide. Refer to the specific Administration Guide for a SonicOS feature for more information.
  • Configuration tends to be a one-time activity, although you might make minor adjustments after monitoring performance or after diagnosing an issue. The configuration activity can be broken down into the more detailed flow as the following figure shows.
  • This also mirrors the key functions that are listed across the top of the management interface.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(2\)
  • There is some flexibility in the order in which you do things, but this is the general work-flow you would follow when configuring your firewall.
  • Start by defining the settings on the firewall. Next you set up the system and other devices that your firewall is connected to, and you can choose to implement High Availability when done. After your device, network, and system is configured, you should define the objects that you want to monitor. Then you use those objects to define the policies that protect your network. The final step to preparing your setup is to validate the user authentication.

How to Use

How to Use the SonicOS Administration Guides

The SonicOS Administration Guide is a collection of guides that detail the features represented by each of the main menu items in the management interface. Within each guide, you can find topics covering commands in that menu group, along with procedures and in-depth information. The exceptions are the SonicOS 7.1 Monitor Guide and the SonicOS 7.1 Objects Guide which combine the topics for each of those functions into a single book. To help you understand how the books align with the features and commands, the following figure shows the books organized like the SonicWall management interface.

SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(3\)

The SonicOS Administration Guides, along with related documentation, such as the getting started guides, are available at https://www.sonicwall.com/support/technical-documentation/.

Guide Conventions

These text conventions are used in this guide:

  • NOTE: A NOTE icon indicates supporting information.
  • IMPORTANT: An IMPORTANT icon indicates supporting information.
  • TIP: A TIP icon indicates helpful information.
  • CAUTION: A CAUTION icon indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if instructions are not followed.
  • WARNING: A WARNING icon indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(27\)

Deep Packet Inspection of Secure Socket Layer (DPI-SSL) extends SonicWall’s Deep Packet Inspection technology to allow for the inspection of encrypted HTTPS traffic and other SSL based traffic. The SSL traffic is decrypted (intercepted) transparently, scanned for threats and then re-encrypted and sent along to its destination if no threats or vulnerabilities are found. DPI- SSL provides additional security, application control, and data leakage prevention for analyzing encrypted HTTPS and other SSL-based traffic. DPI-SSL deployed in two main scenarios, Client DPI-SSL and Server DPI-SSL.
NOTE: DPI-SSL is a separate, licensed feature that provides inspection of encrypted HTTPS traffic and other SSL-based IPv4 and IPv6 traffic.

Topics:

  • Using DPI-SSL
  • Deployment Scenarios
  • Proxy Deployment
  • Customizing DPI-SSL
  • Connections per Appliance Model

Using DPI-SSL

Topics:

  • Supported Features
  • Security Services

Supported Features

DPI-SSL supports:

  • By the default, DPI-SSL supports only TLS 1.3 and TLS 1.2.
  • If any customer wants to add TLS 1.0 and/or TLS 1.1, they can enable them on diag page.
  • To support TLS 1.1 or TLS 1.0, customer can enable the necessary option and reboot the firewall. Make sure that the firewall is rebooted to apply the changes.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(4\)
  • SHA-256 – All re-signed server certificates are signed with the SHA-256 hash algorithm.
  • Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) – Perfect Forward Secrecy-based ciphers and other stronger ciphers are prioritized over weak ciphers in the advertised cipher suite. As a result, the client or server is not expected to negotiate a weak cipher unless the client or server does not support a strong cipher.

NOTE: DPI-SSL does not support SSL 3.0 which is forbidden, no option to restore it.

  • DPI-SSL also supports application-level Bandwidth Management over SSL tunnels. App Rules HTTP bandwidth management policies also applies to content that is accessed over HTTPS when DPI-SSL is enabled for App Rules.
  • DPI-SSL for both client and server can be controlled by Access Rules.

Topics:

  • Support for Local CRL
  • TLS Certificate Status Request Extension
  • Support for Ciphers
  • DPI-SSL and CFS HTTPS Content Filtering Work Independently
  • Original Port Numbers Retained in Decrypted Packets

Support for Local CRL

  • A Certificate Revocation List (CRL) is a list of digital certificates that have been revoked by the issuing Certificate
  • Authority (CA) before their scheduled expiration date and should no longer be trusted. A problem with contacting the CA for this list is that the browser cannot confirm whether it has reached the CA’s servers or if an attacker has intercepted the connection to bypass the revocation check.
  • Local CRL is relative to typical CRL (or online CRL). For typical CRL, the client needs to download the CLR from a
  • CRL distribution point. If the client is unable to download the CRL, then by default, the client trusts the certificate. Contrary to typical CRL, Local CRL maintains a list of revoked certificates locally in import memory for DPI-SSL to verify whether the certificate has been revoked.
  • For further information about this feature, contact Technical Support.

TLS Certificate Status Request Extension
DPI-SSL supports the TLS Certificate Status Request extension (formally known as OCSP stapling). By supporting this extension, the certificate status information is delivered to the DPI-SSL client through an already-established channel, thereby reducing overhead and improving performance.

Support for Ciphers

  • DPI-SSL Client supports ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) ciphers:
    • TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WIATH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
    • TLS_ECDH_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
  • DPI-SSL Client supports three TLS 1.3 ciphers:
    • TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
    • TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
    • TLS_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256
  • DPI-SSL and CFS HTTPS Content Filtering Work Independently
    • DPI-SSL and CFS HTTPS content filtering can be enabled at the same time and function as follows:
    • If DPI-SSL Client Inspection is disabled, Content Filter Service filters HTTPS connections.
    • If DPI-SSL Client Inspection is enabled, but the Content Filter option is not selected, Content Filter Service filters HTTPS connections.
    • If DPI-SSL Client Inspection is enabled and the Content Filter option is selected, CFS does not filter HTTPS connections.
  • Original Port Numbers Retained in Decrypted Packets
    • For encrypted connections DPI-SSL/DPI-SSH connections, the decrypted packet shows the destination port as 80 (in the case of HTTPS). When the decrypted packets are observed in packet capture/Wireshark, they now retain the original port numbers.
    • The port number change applies only to the packet capture and not to the actual packet or connection cache.

Security Services

The following security services and features can use DPI-SSL:

SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(28\)

Deployment Scenarios

DPI-SSL has two main deployment scenarios:

  • Client DPI-SSL: Used to inspect HTTPS traffic when clients on the appliance’s LAN access content located on the WAN. Exclusions to DPI-SSL can be made on a common-name or category basis.
  • Server DPI-SSL: Used to inspect HTTPS traffic when remote clients connect over the WAN to access content located on the appliance’s LAN.

Proxy Deployment

  • DPI-SSL supports proxy deployment, where all client browsers are configured to redirect to a proxy server, but an appliance sits between the client browsers and the proxy server.
  • All DPI-SSL features are supported in this scenario, including supporting domain exclusions when the domain is part of a virtual hosting server, or in some cloud deployments, wherein the same server IP can be used by multiple domains.
  • Additionally, typical data center server farms are fronted with a load balancer and/or reverse SSL Proxy to offload SSL processing on the servers.
  • For a load balancer fronting the servers and doing decryption, the appliance usually only sees the IP of the load balancer, and the load balancer decrypts the content and determines the specific server to assign this connection to.
  • DPI-SSL now has a global policy option to disable an IP-based exclusion cache. The exclusions continues to work even if the IP-based exclusion cache is off.

Customizing DPI-SSL

IMPORTANT: Add the NetExtender SSL VPN gateway to the DPI SSL IP-address exclusion list. As NetExtender traffic is PPP-encapsulated, having SSL VPN decrypt such traffic does not produce meaningful results.

  • In general, the policy of DPI-SSL is to secure any traffic that flows through the appliance. This may or may not meet your security needs, so DPI-SSL allows you to customize what is processed.
  • DPI-SSL comes with a list (database) of built-in (default) domains excluded from DPI processing. You can add to this list at any time, remove any entries you have added, and/or toggle built-in entries between exclusion from and inclusion in DPI processing.
  • DPI-SSL also allows you to exclude or include domains by common name or category (for example, banking or health care).
  • Excluded sites, whether by common name or category, however, can become a security risk that can be exploited in the future by exploit kits that circumvent the appliance and are downloaded to client machines or by a man-in-the-middle hijacker presenting a fake server site/certificate to an unsuspecting client. To prevent such risks, DPI-SSL allows excluded sites to be authenticated before exclusion.
  • As the percentage of HTTPS connections increases in your network and new https sites appear, it is improbable for even the latest SonicOS version to contain a complete list of built-in/default exclusions. Some HTTPS connections fail when DPI-SSL interception occurs due to the inherent implementation of a new client app or the server implementation, and these sites might need to be excluded on the appliance to provide a seamless user experience. SonicOS keeps a log of these failed connections that you can troubleshoot and use to add any trusted entries to the exclusion list.
  • In addition to excluding/including sites, DPI-SSL provides both a global authentication policy and a granular exception policy to the global one. For example, with a global policy to authenticate connections, some connections may be blocked that are in essence safe, such as new trusted CA certificates or a self-signed server certificate of a private (or local-to-enterprise deployment) secure cloud solution. The granular option allows you to exclude individual domains from the global authentication policy.
  • You can configure exclusions for a domain that is part of a list of domains supported by the same server (certificate). That is, some server certificates contain multiple domain names, but you want to exclude just one of these domains without having to exclude all of the domains served by a single server certificate. For example, you can exclude youtube.com. without having to exclude any other domain, such as google.com, even though *.google.com is the common name of the server certificate that has youtube.com. listed as an alternate domain under Subject Alternate-Name extension.

Connections per Appliance Model

  • To learn about the hardware model and its maximum concurrent connections to perform the Client DPI-SSL inspections, refer to the following platform datasheets: SonicWall TZ Series.
  • Refer to the SonicWall resources page for more information about our Product Series. Search for high-end, midrange, entry level, and virtual firewall details, such as Maximum connections (DPI SSL), from the By Product Series drop-down menu.

DPI-SSL/TLS Client

  • The DPI-SSL/TLS Client deployment scenario typically is used to inspect HTTPS traffic when clients on the LAN browse content located on the WAN.
  • In this scenario, the firewall typically does not own the certificates and private keys for the content it is inspecting. After performing DPI-SSL inspection, the appliance re-writes the certificate sent by the remote server and signs this newly generated certificate with the certificate specified in the
  • Client DPI-SSL configuration. By the default, this is the firewall certificate authority (CA) certificate, but a different certificate can be specified. Users should be instructed to add the certificate to their browser’s trusted list to avoid certificate trust errors.

Topics:

  • Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS Client
  • Applying DPI-SSL/TLS Client
  • Viewing DPI-SSL Status

Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS Client

Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS Client includes:

  • Configuring General DPI-SSL/TLS Client Settings
  • Selecting the Re-Signing Certificate Authority
  • Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions

Configuring General DPI-SSL/TLS Client Settings
From the General Settings, you can set the services to be included with which to perform inspection, authenticate decrypted or intercepted connections, and allow or deny expired CA.
NOTE: Make sure that DPI-SSL Client is enabled on a zone or zones according to Enabling DPI-SSL Client on a Zone to apply the DPI-SSL settings.
To enable SSL Client inspection:

  1. Navigate to POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.

    • By default, the Client SSL page displays the General tab.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(5\)
  2. Enable SSL Client Inspection to enable inspection of the encrypted HTTPS traffic.

  3. Enable one or more services with which to perform inspection:

    • Intrusion Prevention
    • Gateway Anti-Virus
    • Gateway Anti-Spyware
    • Application Firewall
    • Content Filter
  4. Set the remaining General Settings.

    • Always authenticate the server for decrypted connections

    • To authenticate servers for decrypted or intercepted connections.
      When enabled this option, DPI-SSL blocks connections:

    • To sites with untrusted certificates.

    • If the domain name in the Client Hello cannot be validated against the Server Certificate for the connection.

    • IMPORTANT: Only enable this option if you need a high level of security. Blocked connections show up in the connection failures list, as described in Showing Connection Failures.

    • TIP: Use the Skip CFS Category-based Exclusion option (refer to Adding Custom Common Names) along with this option to exclude a particular domain or domains from this global authenticate option. This is useful to override any server authentication-related failures of trusted sites.

    • Allow Expired CA

    • To allow expired or intermediate CAs.

    • Allow Expired CA to become available only when the Always authenticate server for decrypted connections is enabled.

    • If it is not selected, connections are blocked if the domain name in the Client Hello cannot be validated against the server certificate for the connections.

    • Deployments wherein the Firewall sees a single server IP for different server domains, ex: Proxy setup

    • To disable the use of the server IP address-based dynamic cache for exclusion.

    • This option is useful for proxy deployments, where all client browsers redirect to a proxy server, including if the appliance is between the client browsers and the proxy server. All

    • DPI-SSL features are supported, including domain exclusions when the domain is part of a virtual hosting server, as part of a server farm fronted with a load balancer, or in some cloud deployments, wherein the same server IP can be used by multiple domains.

    • In such deployments, all server IPs as seen by the appliance are the proxy server’s IP. It is, therefore, imperative that in proxy deployments, IP-based exclusion cache is disabled. Enabling this option does not affect SonicOS’s capability to perform exclusions.

    • Allow SSL without decryption (bypass) when the connection limit exceeded

    • To allow new connections to bypass decryption instead of being dropped when the connection limit is exceeded.

    • By default, this option is enabled and new connections over the DPI-SSL connection limit are bypassed.

    • Disable Allow SSL without decryption (bypass) when the connection limit is exceeded to ensure new connections over the DPI-SSL connection limit are dropped.

    • Audit new built-in  exclusion domain names prior to being added for exclusion

    • To audit new, built-in exclusion domain names before they are added for exclusion.

    • When this option is enabled, whenever changes to the built-in exclusion list occur, for example, an upgrade to a new firmware image or other system-related actions, a notification pop-up dialog displays over the Decryption Services > DPI-SSL/TLS

    • Client page with the changes. You can inspect or audit the new changes and accept or reject any, some, or all of the new changes to the built-in exclusion list. At this point, the run-time exclusion list is updated to reflect the new changes.

    • If this option is disabled, SonicOS accepts all new changes to the built-in exclusion list and adds them automatically.

    • Always authenticate server before applying exclusion policy

    • To always authenticate a server before applying a common-name or category exclusion policy.
      When enabled, DPI-SSL blocks excluded connections:

    • To sites with untrusted certificates.

    • If the domain name in the Client Hello cannot be validated against the Server Certificate for the connection.

    • This is a useful feature to authenticate the server connection before applying exclusion policies. Enabling this option ensures that the appliance does not blindly apply exclusion on connections and thereby create a security hole for exclusion sites or sites belonging to excluded categories. This is especially relevant when banking sites, as a category, are excluded.

    • By validating both the server certificate and the domain name in the Client Hello before applying an exclusion policy, SonicOS can reject untrusted sites and potentially block a type of zero-day attack from taking place. The SonicOS implementation takes the trustbut- verify approach to ensure that a domain name that matches the exclusion policy criteria is validated first, thus preventing an unsuspecting client from phishing or URLredirect- related attacks.

    • IMPORTANT: If you are excluding alternate domains in the Subject-Alternate- Name extension, it is recommended that you enable this option.

    • TIP: Use the Skip CFS Category-based Exclusion option (refer to Adding Custom Common Names) along with this option to exclude a particular domain or domains from this global authenticate option. This is useful to override any server authentication-related failures of trusted sites.

  5. Click Accept.

Enabling DPI-SSL Client on a Zone
To enable DPI-SSL Client on a zone:

  1. Navigate to OBJECT | Match Objects > Zones.
  2. Hover over the zone to be edited and click the Edit icon.
  3. Select Enable SSL Client Inspection.
  4. Finish configuring the zone.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Repeat Step 2 through Step 5 for each zone on which to enable DPI-SSL client inspection.

Selecting the Re-Signing Certificate Authority
The re-signing certificate replaces the original certificate signing authority only if that authority certificate is trusted by the firewall. If the authority is not trusted, then the certificate is self-signed. To avoid certificate errors, choose a certificate that is trusted by devices protected by DPI-SSL.
NOTE: For information about requesting or creating a DPI SSL Certificate Authority (CA) certificate, refer to the Knowledge Base article, Gen 7: How can I create a DPI-SSL certificate for the purpose of DPI-SSL certificate resigning?
To select a re-signing certificate:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Certificate.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(6\)
  3. Select the Certificate from the drop-down menu.
    • By default, DPI-SSL uses the Default SonicWall DPI-SSL CA certificate to re-sign traffic that has been inspected.
    • NOTE: If the certificate you want is not listed, you can import it from the DEVICE | Settings > Certificates. For more information, refer to Importing a Certificate Authority Certificate.
  4. Click the Download link to download the selected certificate to the firewall.
    • TIP: To view available certificates, click the System > Certificates link which displays the DEVICE | Settings > Certificates.
  5. Click Accept.
  6. Add trust to the browser according to Adding Trust to the Browser.

Adding Trust to the Browser

  • For a re-signing certificate authority to successfully re-sign certificates, browsers have to trust the certificate authority. Such trust can be established by having the re-signing certificate imported into the browser’s trusted
  • CA list. Follow your browser’s instructions for importing re-signing certificates. For more information, refer to KB article.

Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions

  • By default, when DPI-SSL is enabled, it applies to all traffic on the appliance. You can customize to which traffic DPI-SSL inspection applies:
  • Exclusion/Inclusion lists exclude or include specified objects and groups
  • Common Name exclusions exclude specified hostnames
  • CFS Category-based Exclusion/Inclusion excludes or includes specified categories based on categories
  • This customization allows individual exclusion or inclusion of alternate names for a domain that is part of a list of domains supported by the same server (certificate). In deployments that process a large amount of traffic, to reduce the CPU impact of DPI-SSL
  • and to prevent the appliance from reaching the maximum number of concurrent DPI-SSL inspected connections, it can be useful to exclude trusted sources.
    • NOTE: If DPI-SSL is enabled on the firewall when using Google Drive, Apple iTunes, or any other application with pinned certificates, the application may fail to connect to the server. To allow the application to connect, exclude the associated domains from
  • DPI-SSL. For example, to allow Google Drive to work, exclude:
  • As Google uses one certificate for all its applications, excluding these domains allows Google applications to bypass DPI-SSL.
  • Alternatively, exclude the client machines from DPI-SSL.

Topics:

  • Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions by Objects and Groups
  • Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions by Common Name
  • Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions by CFS Category

Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions by Objects and Groups
To customize DPI-SSL client inspection:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Objects.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(7\)
  3. Select an object or group to exclude or include the Objects or Groups from DPI-SSL inspection.
    • TIP: The Include drop-down menu can be used to fine tune the specified exclusion list. For example, by selecting the Remote-office-California address object in the Exclude drop-down menu and the Remote-office-Oakland address object in the Include drop-down menu.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(29\)
  4. Click Accept.

Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions by Common Name
You can add trusted domain names to the exclusion list. Adding trusted domains to the Built-in exclusion database reduces the CPU effect of DPI-SSL and prevents the appliance from reaching the maximum number of concurrent DPI-SSL inspected connections.
From Common Name section, you can:

  • View the list of default common names excluded from DPI-SSL inspection.
  • Reject or Approve the default common names.
  • Add custom trusted domain names to:
  • Exclusion list.
  • Skip CFS Category-based Exclusion list.
  • Skip authenticating the server list.

Opt-out of authenticating the server for this domain if authenticating the server results in the connection being blocked. Enable this setting only if the server is a trusted domain.

  • Delete the custom common names.
  • Import exclusions manually If you work in a closed environment or prefer to update default exclusions manually.
  • Refresh the COMMON NAME EXCLUSIONS/INCLUSIONS table to get the latest data.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(8\)

Topics:

  • Viewing Status of DPI-SSL Default Exclusions
  • Rejecting or Accepting Default Common Names
  • Adding Custom Common Names
  • Editing Custom Common Names
  • Deleting Custom Common Names
  • Showing Connection Failures
  • Updating Default Exclusions Manually

Viewing Status of DPI-SSL Default Exclusions
The firewall periodically checks for updates to the DPI-SSL default exclusions database on MySonicWall and displays the latest status of the database in the DPI-SSL Status section. You can update the database on the firewall manually as described in Updating Default Exclusions Manually.
To view the status of default exclusions:

  1. Navigate to POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Common Name.
    • You can find the status under DPI-SSL STATUS group.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(9\)
    • Default Exclusions Timestamp Date and time the default exclusions database was updated.
    • Last Checked Date and time the firewall checked the default exclusions database.

Rejecting or Accepting Default Common Names
NOTE: Default common names cannot be modified or deleted, but you can reject or accept them.
To reject or accept common names:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Common Name.
  3. Scroll to Common Name: Exclusions/Inclusions.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(10\)
    • You can control the display of the common names from the View drop-down menu:
    • All Displays all common names.
    • Default Displays the default common names (excludes Custom).
    • Custom Displays only common names you have added.
  4. Hover over the approved common name to be rejected and click the Reject this built-in name (–) icon displayed at the end of the row.
    • By default, all Built-in common names are approved. You can reject the approval of a Built-in common name.
  5. Click OK.
    • The Reject (–) icon becomes an Accept (+) icon, and the Approved in the Built-in column becomes Rejected.
  6. Hover over the rejected common name to be accepted and click the Accept this built-in name (+) icon displayed at the end of the row.
  7. Click OK.
    • The Accept (+) icon becomes a Reject (–) icon, and the Rejected in the Built-in column becomes Approved.

Adding Custom Common Names

To add a custom common name:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Common Name.
  3. Scroll to Common Name: Exclusions/Inclusions.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(12\)
    • You can control the display of the common names from the View drop-down menu:
    • All Displays all common names.
    • Default Displays the default common names (excludes Custom).
    • Custom Displays only common names you have added.
  4. Click +Add icon to add a custom common name.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(13\)
  5. Add one or more common names in the field. Separate multiple entries with comma or newline characters.
  6. Specify the type of Action:
    • Exclude (default)
    • Skip CFS Category-based Exclusion
    • Skip authenticating the server to opt out of authenticating the server for this domain if doing so results in the connection being blocked. Enable this option only if the server is a trusted domain.
  7. Select an option from the Always authenticate server before applying exclusion policy drop-down menu to Enable or Disable use of dynamic exclusion cache (both server IP and common-name based). Use Global Setting is selected by the default. DPI-SSL dynamically determines if a connection should be intercepted (included) or excluded, based on policy or configuration. When DPI-SSL extracts the domain name for the connection, exclusion information is readily available for subsequent connections to the same server or domain.
  8. Click Accept.
    • The Common Name Exclusions/Inclusions table is updated, with Custom in the Built-in column. Hover over the Information icon to see which custom attributes were selected. If a common name was added through the Connection Failure List, the Information icon indicates the type of failure:
    • Skip CFS category exclusion
    • Skip Server authentication
    • Failed to authenticate server
    • Failed Client handshake
    • Failed Server handshake
  9. Click Accept.

Editing Custom Common Names

NOTE: Default common names cannot be modified or deleted, but you can modify or delete custom common names.

To edit custom common names:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Common Name.
  3. Scroll to Common Name: Exclusions/Inclusions.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(14\)
  4. Hover over the custom common name to be edited and click the Edit icon.
  5. Make the necessary changes.
  6. Click Accept.

Deleting Custom Common Names
NOTE: Default common names cannot be modified or deleted, but you can modify or delete custom common names.
To delete custom common names:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Common Name.
  3. Scroll to Common Name: Exclusions/Inclusions.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(15\)
    • You can control the display of the common names from the View drop-down menu:
    • All Displays all common names.
    • Default Displays the default common names (excludes Custom).
    • Custom Displays only common names you have added.
  4. Do one of the following:
  5. Hover over the custom common name to be deleted and click the Delete icon.
  6. Select check boxes of the custom common names in the Common Name Exclusions/Inclusions table and click the Delete icon on top of the table.
  7. Select the check box in the table header to select all custom common names and click the Delete icon on top of the table.
  8. Click Accept.

Showing Connection Failures
SonicOS keeps a list of recent DPI-SSL client-related connection failures. This is a powerful feature that:

  • Lists DPI-SSL failed connections.
  • Allows you to audit the failed connections.
  • Provide a mechanism to automatically exclude some failing domains.

The dialog box displays the run-time connection failures. The connection failures could be any of the following reasons:

  • Failure to handshake with the Client
  • Failure to handshake with the Server
  • Failed to validate the domain name in the Client Hello
  • Failure to authenticate the server (the server certificate issuer is not trusted)

The failure list is only available at run-time. The number logged for each failure is limited to ensure a single failure type does not overrun the entire buffer.

To use the connection failure list:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click Common Name.
  3. Scroll to Common Name: Exclusions/Inclusions.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(16\)
  4. Click Show Connection Failures.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(17\)
    • Each entry in this lists displays:
    • Client Address
    • Server Address
    • Common Name – The common name of the failed connection’s domain. You can edit this entry inline before adding it to the automatic exclusion list.
    • Error Message – Provides contextual information associated with the connection that enables you to make appropriate choices about excluding this connection.
  5. Perform the actions as necessary on the list:SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(30\)
  6. Click Close when finished.

Updating Default Exclusions Manually
If your environment is closed or you prefer to update default exclusions manually, you can download the default exclusions database from www.MySonicWall.com. and then import them.
To update default exclusions manually:

  1. Import the default exclusions database from www.MySonicWall.com.
  2. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  3. Scroll to the Update Default Exclusions Manually section.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(18\)
  4. Click IMPORT EXCLUSIONSSONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(19\)
  5. Click Add File.
  6. Browse and select the downloaded default exclusions database file.
  7. Click Import.
    • The Common Name Exclusions/Inclusions table and the status of the default database used by the firewall in the DPI-SSL Default Exclusions Status section are updated.

Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions by CFS Category
You can exclude or include entities by content filter categories.
To specify CFS category-based exclusions/inclusions:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  2. Click CFS Category-based Exclusions/Inclusions.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(20\)
    • NOTE: The status of the list is shown by an icon at the top of the view. A green icon indicates Content Filtering is licensed, a red icon that it is not.
  3. Select the Action to be set for the categories:
    • Exclude (default)
    • Include
  4. Do one of the following:
    • Select the categories to be included or excluded.
    • By the default, all categories are unselected.
    • Click Select all Categories to select all categories.
  5. Repeat the steps 3 and 4 to create the opposite list if required.
    • For example, if categories are set for Exclude action in previous steps, you can set the categories for
    • Include action in this step. This step is not applicable if Select all Categories option is set in previous step.
  6. Select the Exclude connection if Content Filter Category is not available to exclude a connection if the content filter category information for a domain is not available to DPI-SSL.
    • In most cases, category information for a HTTPS domain is available locally in the firewall cache. When the category information is not locally available, DPI-SSL obtains the category information from the cloud without blocking the client or server communication. In rare cases, the category information is not available for DPI-SSL to make a decision. By the default, such sites are inspected in DPI-SSL.
  7. Click Accept.

Applying DPI-SSL/TLS Client

After you finish configuring your DPI-SSL Client, you can apply in:

  • Performing Content Filtering using DPI-SSL
  • Filtering Content by App Rules using DPI-SSL

Performing Content Filtering using DPI-SSL

  • To perform SonicWall Content Filtering on HTTPS and SSL-based traffic using DPI-SSL:
    • IMPORTANT: Make sure that Enable SSL Inspection and Content Filter options are enabled on General tab of POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL. For more information, refer to Configuring General DPI-SSL/TLS Client Settings.

To perform SonicWall Content Filtering on HTTPS and SSL-based traffic using DPI-SSL:

  1. Create a content filter profile object on OBJECT | Profile Objects > Content Filter.
  2. Configure a content filter rule on POLICY | Rules and Policies > Content Filter Rules.
    • Make sure to select:
    • Content filter Profile object created on OBJECT | Profile Objects > Content Filter.
    • Default content filter Action object from the drop-down menu as the default action object is configured to Block, Confirm, or Passphrase the page or create a content filter action object for
    • Block, Confirm, or Passphrase page on OBJECT | Action Objects > Content Filter Actions.
  3. Navigate to POLICY | Security Services > Content Filter.
    • Make sure that SonicWall CFS is selected for the Content Filter Type from the drop-down menu.
  4. Scroll to the Global Settings section.
    • Make sure that Enable Content Filtering Service is selected. By the default, Enable Content Filtering Service is selected.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(21\)
  5. Click Accept.
  6. Navigate to a blocked, confirmed, or passphrased site using the HTTPS protocol to verify that it is properly blocked, confirmed, or passphrased.
    • NOTE: For content filtering over DPI-SSL, the first time HTTPS access is blocked results in a blank page being displayed. If the page is refreshed, the user sees the firewall block page.

Filtering Content by App Rules using DPI-SSL
IMPORTANT: Make sure that Enable SSL Inspection and Application Firewall options are enabled on General tab of POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL. For more information, refer to Configuring General DPISSL/ TLS Client Settings.
To filter HTTPS and SSL-based traffic by app rules using DPI-SSL:

  1. Navigate to POLICY | Rules and Policies > App Rules .
  2. Click the Global Settings icon and select Enable App Rules.
  3. Configure an HTTP Client policy to block Microsoft Internet Explorer browser with block page as an action for the policy.
    • Here is an example to configure a match object and set the action for the app rule policy. But you can configure and set the action in other ways to allow or block the content.
    • a. Create a match object with Web Browser as Match Object Type on OBJECT | Match Objects > Match Objects page and add MSIE Browser to the match object.
    • b. Add an app rule with HTTP Client as Policy Type on POLICY | Rule and Policies > App Rules page. Set match object created in previous step in Match Object Included and/or Match Object  Excluded options.
  4. Access any website using the HTTPS protocol with Internet Explorer to verify it is blocked.
    • Topics: Enabling App Control Service on a Zone

Enabling App Control Service on a Zone
To enable DPI-SSL Client on a zone:

  1. Navigate to OBJECT | Match Objects > Zones.
  2. Hover over the zone to be edited and click the Edit icon.
  3. Select Enable App Control Service.
  4. Finish configuring the zone.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Repeat Step 2 through Step 5 for each zone on which to enable App Control Service.

Viewing DPI-SSL Status
The DPI-SSL Status section displays the current DPI-SSL connections, peak connections, and maximum connections.

To view DPI-SSL Status:

  • Navigate to POLICY | DPI-SSL > Client SSL.
  • Under General, you can view the DPI-SSL Status.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(22\)

DPI-SSL/TLS Server

The Server DPI-SSL deployment scenario is typically used to inspect HTTPS traffic when remote clients connect over the WAN to access content located on the firewall’s LAN. Server DPI-SSL allows you to configure pairings of an address object and certificate. When the appliance detects SSL connections to the address object, it presents the paired certificate and negotiates SSL with the connecting client.Afterward, if the pairing defines the server to be cleartext, then a standard TCP connection is made to the server on the original (post NAT remapping) port. If the pairing is not defined to be cleartext, then an SSL connection to the server is negotiated. This allows for end-to-end encryption of the connection.
NOTE: In this deployment scenario, the owner of the firewall owns the certificates and private keys of the origin content servers. You would have to import the server’s original certificate onto the appliance and create an appropriate server IP address to server certificate mappings in the Server DPI-SSL UI. For information about DPI-SSL, refer to About DPI-SSL.

Topics: Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS Server

Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS Server
Deploying the DPI-SSL/TLS server include:

  • Configuring General DPI-SSL/TLS Server Settings
  • Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions
  • Configuring Server-to-Certificate Pairings

Configuring General DPI-SSL/TLS Server Settings
From the General Settings, you can set the services to be included with which to perform inspection.
NOTE: Make sure that DPI-SSL Server is enabled on a zone or zones according to Enabling DPI-SSL Server on a Zone to apply the DPI-SSL General settings.
To enable Server DPI-SSL inspection:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Server SSLSONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(23\)
  2. Scroll to the General Settings section.
  3. Select Enable SSL Server Inspection.
  4. Select one or more of the services with which to perform inspection:
    • Intrusion Prevention
    • Gateway Anti-Virus
    • Gateway Anti-Spyware
    • Application Firewall
  5. Click Accept.
  6. Scroll down to the SSL Servers section and configure the server or servers to which DPI-SSL inspection is applied. For more information, refer to Configuring Server-to-Certificate Pairings.

Enabling DPI-SSL Server on a Zone
To enable DPI-SSL Server on a zone:

  1. Navigate to OBJECT | Match Objects > Zones.
  2. Hover over the zone to be edited and click the Edit icon.
  3. Select Enable SSL Server Inspection.
  4. Finish configuring the zone.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Repeat Step 2 through Step 5 for each zone on which to enable DPI-SSL server inspection.

Configuring Exclusions and Inclusions

  • By the default, the DPI-SSL applies to all traffic on the appliance when it is enabled. You can configure inclusion or exclusion lists to customize to which traffic DPI-SSL inspection applies. The Inclusion/Exclusion lists provide the ability to specify certain objects or groups. In deployments that process a large amount of traffic, to reduce the
  • CPU impact of DPI-SSL and to prevent the appliance from reaching the maximum number of concurrent DPI-SSL inspected connections, it can be useful to exclude trusted sources.

To customize DPI-SSL server inspection:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Server SSL.
  2. Scroll to the Inclusion/Exclusion section.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(24\)
  3. Select an object or group to exclude or include the Objects or Groups from DPI-SSL inspection.
    • TIP: The Include drop-down menu can be used to fine tune the specified exclusion list. For example, by selecting the Remote-office-California address object in the Exclude drop-down menu and the Remote-office-Oakland address object in the Include drop-down menu.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(31\)
  4. Click Accept.

Configuring Server-to-Certificate Pairings
Server DPI-SSL inspection requires that you specify which certificate is used to sign traffic for each server that has DPI-SSL inspection performed on its traffic.
To configure a server-to-certificate pairing:

  1. Navigate to the POLICY | DPI-SSL > Server SSL.

  2. Scroll to the SSL Servers section.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(25\)

  3. Click +Add.SONICWALL-SonicOS-7-1-DPI-SSL-fig-1 \(26\)

  4. Select the Address Object/Group for the server or servers to which you want to apply DPI-SSL inspection.

  5. Select the SSL Certificate to be used to sign the traffic for the server.
    This certificate is used to sign traffic for each server that has DPI-SSL Server inspection performed on its traffic. For more information on:

    • Importing a new certificate to the appliance, refer to Selecting the Re-Signing Certificate Authority.
    • Creating a Linux certificate.
    • TIP: Clicking the (Manage Certificates) link displays the DEVICE | Settings > Certificates page. For more information, refer to Creating a PKCS-12 Formatted Certificate File (Linux Systems Only).
  6. Select Cleartext to enable SSL offloading. When adding server-to-certificate pairs, the Cleartext option provides a method of sending unencrypted data onto a server.

    • IMPORTANT: For such a configuration to work properly, a NAT policy needs to be created for this server on the POLICY | Rules and Policies > NAT Rules page to map traffic destined for the offload server from an SSL port to a non-SSL port. Traffic must be sent over a port other than 443. For example, for HTTPS traffic used with SSL offloading, an inbound NAT policy remapping traffic from port 443 to port 80 needs to be created for things to work properly.
  7. Click Add.

SonicWall Support

Technical support is available to customers who have purchased SonicWall products with a valid maintenance contract.
The Support Portal provides self-help tools you can use to solve problems quickly and independently, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To access the Support Portal, go to https://www.sonicwall.com/support.
The Support Portal enables you to:

About This Document

  • SonicOS DPI-SSL Administration Guide
  • Updated – December 2023
  • Software Version – 7.1
  • 232-005879-00 Rev A
  • Copyright © 2023 SonicWall Inc. All rights reserved.

The information in this document is provided in connection with SonicWall and/or its affiliates’ products. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property right is granted by this document or in connection with the sale of products. EXCEPT AS OUTLINED IN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS SPECIFIED IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THIS PRODUCT, SONICWALL AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES ASSUME NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER AND DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTY RELATING TO ITS PRODUCTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL SONICWALL AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS DOCUMENT, EVEN IF SONICWALL AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SonicWall and/or its affiliates make no representations or warranties concerning the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and reserve the right to make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time without notice. and/or its affiliates do not make any commitment to update the information contained in this document.
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  • SonicOS 7.1 DPI-SSL Administration Guide SonicWall Support

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