More than half of internet traffic is encrypted: Sandvine

Internet traffic is “more encrypted than ever,” with a “conservative estimate” suggesting more than half of all internet traffic is encrypted, according to Sandvine Corp.’s 2018 Global Internet Phenomena Report “For network operators, this trend creates a huge challenge,” the report said. “Network operators – fixed, mobile, WiFi, and even satellite – need to understand the composition of traffic (not the content) so that they can build out a network capable of meeting a consumer’s quality expectations. With a higher percentage of traffic encrypted every day, operators are struggling to gain a holistic view of their networks.” Meanwhile, as Netflix Inc. and other legal video streaming services have grown in popularity – with Netflix now making up 26 per cent of all global video streaming – the report suggests that because consumers lack good options to “access to all the content that may interest them,” they are “still resorting to piracy.” The report states BitTorrent is the number one source in Europe of upstream bandwidth consumption, and the second highest source for North and South America. “This video diversity trend has led directly to the continued relevance of file sharing, which is still a major source of internet traffic. Consumers that cannot afford to subscribe to all of the different services turn to file sharing to get the latest content, even as governments attempt to shut down sharing sites.” However, that doesn’t mean the files shared via BitTorrent were all pirated. It also notes that Openload, a file-hosting site that serves up ads and described in a report by the U.S. Trade Representative as “well-known for housing infringing movie content,” generates the eight highest source of video traffic on the internet at 0.80 per cent worldwide. That’s more than services like Hulu, HBO Go, and BBC iPlayer – something the Sandvine report said will likely “not make movie studios happy.” Sandvine, a Canadian company which sells bandwidth management services, gathered its traffic volume data from over 5,300 distinct application signatures, according to the report.

More than half of internet traffic is encrypted: Sandvine

Brief | October 2, 2018

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More than half of internet traffic is encrypted: Sandvine

Brief | October 2, 2018

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