System and method for passively identifying encrypted and interactive network sessions

A system for passively identifying encrypted and interactive network sessions, comprising:

• a network that includes a plurality of hosts;
• and
• a passive vulnerability scanner that observes a plurality of packets travelling across the network during one or more sessions on the network, wherein the passive vulnerability scanner is configured to:
• sniff the plurality of packets that travel across the network during the one or more sessions on the network,
• determine whether the one or more sessions communicate interactive or encrypted data based on a comparison of one or more characteristics of at least a first packet and a second packet of the plurality of packets;
• reconstruct the one or more sessions in response to the passive vulnerability scanner determining that the one or more sessions communicate interactive or encrypted data, wherein the one or more reconstructed sessions identify an originating host and a receiving host for the interactive or encrypted data;
• identify one or more potential vulnerabilities associated with the one or more reconstructed sessions;
• and
• prepare a report describing the one or more reconstructed sessions and the one or more potential vulnerabilities, wherein the report further identifies one or more ports and one or more services that communicate the interactive or encrypted data between the originating host and the receiving host;
• wherein the passive vulnerability scanner determines that the one or more sessions communicate encrypted data based on one or more similarities of one or more characteristics of at least the first packet and the second packet, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise:
• a randomization measure that satisfies a predetermined threshold, a compressed file type, or identification of a service that communicates encrypted data.