Deep Packet Inspection Systems

DPI systems help the ISPs to monitor traffic through their systems. Griffin Internet uses DPI to ensure that business traffic has preference during business hours - 9 am to 6 pm. During these hours peer to peer and news group traffic may be restricted (mainly users over 50 GB per month) with preference given to VoIP and other business traffic.

DPI systems can be fine turned. The DPI used by Griffin recognises traffic types and does not view content. Griffin can tune your connection to ensure that none of your business traffic is resticted through incorrect classification.

What about DPI and Customer Profilers?

While DPI systems are used by some ISPs to track and profile all the traffic of their customers, this is not their only use. There is no content copying, no following of your surfing patterns, no user profiling equipment used on any services promoted from this site. Griffin uses DPI systems to increase the contention ratio for known P2P and news traffic only, leaving your business traffic unaffected.

DPI and Privacy

In the UK, ISPs are registered under the Data Protection Act which limits their ability to capture personal information over and above that which is needed to provide a service. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) the ISPs may intercept traffic in order to monitor and manage the service they provide.

Around the world, including the UK, some ISPs also sign up with behavioural targeting profilers and advertising networks to profile your surfing so that they can earn extra revenue through displaying direct marketing advertisements based on your surfing habits. Latest advice from the ICO.gov.uk requires that customers are only profiled if they have opted into the systems.

As the software which analyses your surfing patterns and supplies the advertising is inserted directly into the data stream there is no software which you can install on your computer system or mobile phone to block the actions of the profilers.

When you sign up with an ISP, the terms and conditions and privacy statement will reveal whether or not they are using DPI systems to provide you with relevant direct marketing

Where can I find out more about DPI Profiling and its effect on my Privacy

It can be difficult to find specific infromation. In the UK, much has been discovered and written about Phorm's Webwise system and the secret trials performed by BT during 2006 and 2007. BT are planning further trials in 2008. Supanet mentions direct marketing in their privacy statement and Free-Hotspots require you to accept their terms and conditions before using their advertising sponsored service.

Search engines can provide much information about Phorm, Webwise, FrontPorch, Fair Eagle, Adzilla, NebuAd and how the adware works.
N.B. - not BBC Webwise and other Webwise educational services which teach people how to protect themselves from adware, spyware, rootkits, malware, etc.
 

Deep Packet Inspection systems can see all your traffic. Ask your ISP if they use DPI systems and how they protect your privacy.

If you are presented with a page full of adverts when you mistype a domain name or address, your surfing traffic is being intercepted to take you away from the site you wanted to visit.

If BT has offered you BT Webwise, all your surfing is being spied upon and used for behaviour targeted marketing by 3rd parties.