Traffic Analysis

A form of passive attack in which an intruder observes information about calls (although not necessarily the contents of the messages) and makes inferences, e.g. from the source and destination numbers, or frequency and length of the messages.

1. In a communications system, the analysis of traffic rates, volumes, densities, capacities, and patterns specifically for system performance improvement.[From Weik '89] 2. [The] study of communications characteristics external to the text. [NIS] 3. The analysis of the communications-electronic environment for use in the design, development, and operation of new communications systems. [From Weik '89] 4. In cryptology, the inference of information from observation and analysis of the presence, absence, amount, direction, and frequency of the traffic flow. [After 2382-pt. 8] 5. [The] Study of communications patterns. [INFOSEC-99] 6. The inference of information from observation of traffic flows (presence, absence, amount, direction and frequency) [7498-2].