Traffic Padding

The term Traffic Padding refers to the insertion of dummy or nonmeaningful communications traffic to obscure real traffic patterns, volumes, timing, or relationships from traffic analysis. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.

In practice, Traffic Padding is applied to the technical or security purpose captured by its definition: the insertion of dummy or nonmeaningful communications traffic to obscure real traffic patterns, volumes, timing, or relationships from traffic analysis. Organizations combine that function with documented procedures, authorized access, testing, monitoring, and controls appropriate to the system.

In practice, Traffic Padding is applied to the technical or security purpose captured by its definition: the insertion of dummy or nonmeaningful communications traffic to obscure real traffic patterns, volumes, timing, or relationships from traffic analysis. Organizations combine that function with documented procedures, authorized access, testing, monitoring, and controls appropriate to the system.