Definition
Egress traffic is data leaving a network or program. It originates from within the system and travels to external points such as other networks, clients, and servers.
Egress traffic may include various data types, such as emails sent to external recipients, requests to access websites, and data transfers.
Managing and examining egress traffic helps maintain network security, improve performance, and control bandwidth-related costs.
Use Cases of Egress Traffic
- Data exfiltration detection: Monitoring egress traffic can help detect unusual patterns on a network or system. It can identify and safeguard against unauthorized data leakage or transfers, revealing compromised systems or insider threats.
- Command and control (C2) traffic detection: Examining egress traffic helps to detect connections to known domains, IPs, or unusual communication patterns, which can indicate malware or an ongoing attack.
- Bandwidth Management: Tracking egress traffic can help you detect abnormal bandwidth consumption, which might indicate unauthorized activities.
- Policy Enforcement: Enforce sufficient security measures and restrictions on egress traffic to reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access to external resources.
- Network Segmentation: By restricting traffic between different network segments, you can minimize the risk of lateral movement.