Definitions[]
Traffic analysis is
| “ | the analysis of patterns in communications for the purpose of gaining intelligence about a system or its users. Traffic analysis does not require examination of the content of the communications, which may or may not be decipherable. For example, an adversary may be able to detect a signal from a reader that could enable it to infer that a particular activity is occurring (e.g., a shipment has arrived, someone is entering a facility) without necessarily learning an identifier or associated data.[1] | ” |
| “ | [t]he inference of information from observation of traffic flows (presence, absence, amount, direction, timing, packet size, packet composition, and/or frequency), even if flows are encrypted.[2] | ” |
| “ | [g]aining knowledge of information by inference from observable characteristics of a data flow, even if the information is not directly available (e.g., when the data is encrypted).[3] | ” |
| “ | [p]assively monitoring transmissions to identify communication patterns and participants.[4] | ” |
References[]
- ↑ Guidelines for Securing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Systems, Glossary, at B-3.
- ↑ Privacy Considerations for Internet Protocols, at 8.
- ↑ Internet Security Glossary, at 310.
- ↑ Information Security: Federal Agencies Have Taken Steps to Secure Wireless Networks, but Further Actions Can Mitigate Risk, at 8.