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It seems that most encrypted traffic could be buffered and fragmented to an arbitrary traffic spectrum within the bounds of message urgency. That is most traffic does not have 100% real time requirements. Thus individual keystrokes of SSL could be buffered and variably delayed. Of course interactive experiences would be somewhat degraded especially any mouse driven sessions.

But even small variances from actual keystroke timing could help throw off ordinary keystroke anaylsis for character driven session like passwords and simple command entry.

Hypothetically, a dummy user interface on the terminal end could also simulate/duplicate the effect of mouse commands allowing smooth movements and greatly reducing the effects of buffering mouse outputs -- to the point that sluggish response to events might be the only degradation.

[edit] Yoshikawa

Costello in Days of Infamy says he used the diplomatic address, which concealed the fact it was intelligence traffic. Costello also implies no analysis was done of the number of messages routed to/from given consular stations, which might have offered hints Pearl was a target. Trekphiler 11:18, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

I deleted this:

"Though not strictly related to traffic analysis limitations, it might be noted that those messages from the Hawaiian consulate (including some from Ensign Yoshikawa on Oahu) which were intercepted and decrypted didn't include clear evidence, or even mention, of a planned attack. They were evaluated as the usual intelligence every consulate routinely picked up and sent home. The only exception, a message sent on the 6th, was not decrypted until after the 7th."

It doesn't bear on traffic analysis.

I added this:

"Some messages from Ensign Yoshikawa on Oahu) were sent under routine diplomatic addresses, and so were not identified as intelligence traffic. It has been suggested^[1], however, the volume of diplomatic traffic to and from certain consular stations might have indicated places of interest to Japan, which might thus have suggested locations to concentrate traffic analysis and decryption efforts."

I also added mention of callsigns; it's from Room 40, I think. Trekphiler 11:37, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Rounding Diamond Head

I deleted this:

"There was a famous exchange on December 2, 1941, five days before the Pearl Harbor attack, between Admiral Husband Kimmel, Pacific Fleet Commander, and his Intelligence Officer, Captain Edwin Layton. Kimmel remarked on the absence of information about Japanese aircraft carriers, and Layton explained that he didn't know where most of them were. Kimmel then asked whether they might be rounding Diamond Head (a volcano on Oahu). Layton replied that he didn't think so. Pearl Harbor was hit five days later."

It implies a causal relationship that doesn't exist, & I don't see a connection to traffic analysis. Neither am I convinced the radio operators left behind actually decieved Hypo. Trekphiler 11:52, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Mav, this is Hollywood

I added this:

"There is a close relationship between traffic anaylsis and cryptanalysis (commonly called codebreaking). Callsigns and addresses are frequently encrypted, requiring assistance in identifying them. Traffic volume can often be a sign of an addressee's importance, giving hints to pending objectives or movements to cryptanalysts."

It's been said (Willmott, Barrier & the Javelin, I think) t/a aided Rochefort & Layton in identifying the Coral Sea as an objective. Trekphiler 12:05, 19 November 2006 (UTC)