Secure CIFS.
Stop ransomware before it spreads.
Replace standard SMB protocol with a hardened TLS-443 tunnel — without changing how your users work. Every file action requires MFA, every file is sanitized through CDR, every operation is logged. Identity-based access control, continuous monitoring, and threat isolation under one unified policy.
Built for.
CIFS: a critical attack surface.
The Server Message Block (SMB) protocol is an essential component of enterprise file sharing and system communication — but it is also a major target for ransomware, lateral movement, and privilege escalation attacks. Unsecured CIFS traffic can expose critical assets, allowing attackers to spread malware, exfiltrate sensitive data, or encrypt shared files.
truePass Guard takes a different approach. Standard SMB is replaced with a hardened TLS-443 tunnel — no changes on the client side. Every file action requires MFA, every file passes through CDR sanitization, and SMB Signing protects against relay attacks. Behavioral monitoring, dynamic threat response, and a full audit trail complete the layered defense — across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid CIFS environments.
Four ways CIFS becomes a ransomware highway.
If you're seeing one or more of these in your environment, your CIFS infrastructure has already outgrown what standard security can deliver.
Ransomware encryption attempts
Ransomware operators specifically target CIFS file shares to encrypt data at scale. A single compromised endpoint becomes the gateway to entire departments — locking files across the organization within hours and causing costly downtime.
Lateral movement across shares
Once an attacker gains access to a CIFS-enabled system, they move freely between mapped drives and connected systems. Traditional access models grant broad permissions that turn every connection into a propagation path.
Privilege escalation
SMB protocol vulnerabilities and weak credential controls allow attackers to escalate privileges and access sensitive resources. Compromised accounts become administrative-level threats — silently and without triggering alerts.
Limited visibility
Standard CIFS infrastructure provides minimal traffic insight. Anomalous behavior, brute-force attempts, and unauthorized access often go undetected until damage is already done. Compliance reporting requires correlating multiple log sources.
Standard CIFS was never built for Zero Trust. It authenticates once, trusts broadly, and exposes the SMB protocol surface to anyone on the network. Guard closes that gap — verifying identity per file action, sanitizing every file, and keeping shares invisible until access is proven.
Three components. One Zero Trust file-sharing fabric.
Guard combines a hardened TLS-443 transport, identity-aware access enforcement, MFA per file action, CDR sanitization, behavioral monitoring, and dynamic threat response — all under one unified policy, with a full audit trail.
TLS-443 Transport & Identity-Based CIFS Access
Standard SMB replaced with a hardened tunnel. Zero client changes.
Guard replaces the legacy SMB protocol on the wire with a hardened TLS-encrypted tunnel over HTTPS (port 443) — no changes required on the client side. Users connect to the same file shares the same way. Underneath, the SMB protocol surface is no longer exposed.
Only verified and authorized devices can initiate CIFS sessions. Access is restricted by identity, device compliance, and role-based policies — each request verified before access is granted. All apps and file shares stay hidden from unauthorized users, invisible until identity is proven, with zero inbound exposure.
- SMB over TLS-443 (HTTPS) transport
- No client-side changes required
- Identity-based access control per session
- Device compliance verification before access
- Role-based policies per user
- Zero Trust enforcement for file shares
MFA per File Action & Behavioral Monitoring
Every file action authenticated. Every session monitored.
Instead of authenticating once per session, Guard verifies identity at the level of individual file actions. Open, edit, delete, copy — each operation requires MFA. Stolen credentials cannot perform sensitive file operations without additional verification.
File type filtering controls exactly which files can be opened or transferred — only approved formats pass through. At the same time, Guard continuously analyzes CIFS traffic patterns to detect privilege abuse, brute-force attempts, and ransomware activity.
- MFA per file action (not just per session)
- File type filtering by approved formats
- Continuous CIFS traffic pattern analysis
- Real-time anomaly detection on every session
- Privilege abuse & brute-force detection
- Lateral movement detection inside CIFS
CDR Sanitization & Dynamic Threat Response
Every file sanitized. Every attack contained. Full audit trail.
Every file passing through Guard is processed through Content Disarm & Reconstruction (CDR) — whitening and sanitization that removes potentially malicious content (embedded scripts, macros, active objects) before files enter the network. Ransomware payloads and weaponized documents cannot pass through.
SMB Signing protects against relay attacks at the protocol level. When threats are detected, Guard automatically blocks suspicious CIFS sessions, isolates compromised devices, and prevents unauthorized file encryption. Every action is captured in detailed logs for compliance audits and forensic investigations.
- CDR sanitization on every file
- Active content removal (scripts, macros)
- SMB Signing — relay-attack protection
- Automatic threat response & isolation
- Block unauthorized file encryption
- Full audit trail for compliance
Everything Guard does for your file-sharing environment.
Our SMB Protocol Security solution provides continuous monitoring, adaptive security controls, and Zero Trust enforcement to protect against unauthorized CIFS access and ransomware threats.
Restricts access to CIFS file shares based on user identity, device compliance, and role-based policies.
Continuously analyzes CIFS traffic patterns to detect privilege abuse, brute-force attempts, and ransomware activity.
Automatically blocks suspicious CIFS sessions, isolates compromised devices, and prevents unauthorized file encryption.
Captures detailed logs of CIFS access attempts and file modifications for compliance and security investigations.
Ensures that only verified and authorized devices can initiate CIFS sessions, reducing risk exposure.
Detects unauthorized file access, privilege escalation attempts, and lateral movement inside CIFS environments.
Extends security policies to cloud-based file shares and on-premises CIFS environments — AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and private data centers all under one unified policy.
Three outcomes that start on day one.
Prevent Ransomware & Unauthorized Access
Block malicious encryption attempts and unauthorized CIFS connections. The flagship Guard outcome — protect every file share from ransomware that targets CIFS infrastructure.
Get startedApply Access Controls
Apply access controls based on user identity, risk assessment, and device trust level. Every CIFS session verified against role-based policy in real time.
Get startedRestrict Lateral Movement
Contain compromised accounts and prevent malware from spreading through file shares. Stop ransomware before it propagates beyond the initial entry point.
Get startedPlugs into the stack you already run.
Guard integrates with the leading identity, security monitoring, and cloud platforms — extending Zero Trust CIFS protection across your existing infrastructure.
Identity & Access Management
Okta · Microsoft Entra ID · Google Workspace
Security Event Management
Splunk · IBM QRadar
Endpoint Detection & Response
CrowdStrike · SentinelOne · Microsoft Defender
Cloud & Hybrid Deployments
AWS · Azure · Google Cloud · Private data centers
Zero Trust Network Access
Aligns with existing ZTNA policies
Where Guard secures file sharing.
Secure your file shares.
Stop ransomware in its tracks.
A 30-minute consultation with our security architects. We'll review your current CIFS exposure, identify ransomware propagation paths, and propose a tailored Proof of Concept for Guard.