Give some examples where traffic analysis could jeopardize security. Describe situations where end-to-end encryption combined with link encryption would still allow enough traffic analysis to be dangerous.
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "computer traffic analysis security" to get these possible sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_analysis
http://tor.eff.org/overview.html.en
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:oZ6Oq8ILuJAJ:www.cypherspace.org/adam/pubs/traffic.pdf+computer+traffic+analysis+security&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=safari
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
One big way, especially for login-style networks, is through password hacking. Read through the paragraph on Wikipedia's link posted above about security. It's NOT an easy read. Take your time and look up any difficult words. If you're really stuck on any terms, you know where we are :)
Traffic analysis refers to the process of analyzing network traffic data to gain insights about the communication patterns and behavior of users. While traffic analysis itself may not directly compromise security, it can provide valuable information to adversaries that can be leveraged to jeopardize security in various scenarios. Here are some examples:
1. Network surveillance: An attacker monitoring network traffic can gain information about the activities and behavior of users, such as websites visited, communication patterns, and data transfers. This information can be used to profile individuals, target specific users for attacks, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
2. Timing attacks: By analyzing the timing patterns of network packets, an attacker can infer information about the underlying communication. For example, they can determine when a user is actively using a network service, such as sending emails or conducting financial transactions. This information can aid in launching attacks to intercept or manipulate the communication.
3. Traffic correlation attacks: If an adversary gains access to multiple points in the network, they can correlate traffic patterns from different locations to identify the source and destination of a specific communication. This can be particularly dangerous when combined with other attacks, such as deanonymization attacks on anonymizing networks like Tor.
Even with end-to-end encryption, where the content of the communication is encrypted and protected, traffic analysis can still pose risks. While the encryption ensures the confidentiality and integrity of the data itself, certain metadata and patterns in the traffic can be analyzed to extract valuable information:
1. Traffic volume analysis: By observing the size and timing of encrypted packets, an attacker can deduce the volume and frequency of communication between two endpoints. This can reveal patterns of user behavior, such as regular communication patterns, which can be exploited to launch attacks.
2. Packet timing analysis: Although the content of the packets is encrypted, an attacker can still analyze the timing and frequency of encrypted packets to infer information about the communication. For example, they can identify when a user is sending or receiving data, which can aid in launching targeted attacks.
In conclusion, traffic analysis can jeopardize security in various scenarios, including network surveillance, timing attacks, and traffic correlation attacks. Even when end-to-end encryption is employed, certain aspects of traffic analysis can still be dangerous, such as analyzing traffic volume and packet timing. It is important to consider the potential risks posed by traffic analysis and employ appropriate measures, such as anonymizing networks or traffic obfuscation techniques, to mitigate these risks.