Great post, Sam!

Similar traffic analysis techniques have been used to bust child porn trading rings, and there is actually quite a bit of information on the techniques involved. There are also a whole host of technique that Sam, quite rightly, doesn't mention - so neither will I .

I think that the important "lesson" to take from this is one that humans have had to learn time and time again - the world can be a dangerous place. Trite, I know, but something that everyone wants to disbelieve. I remember he press talking about how 9/11 changed the world - no, it didn't, it just changed how some people viewed the world; their basic metaphysical stance as it were.

The same thing is happening, to a lessor degree, to the perception of the Internet. But, while "discretion may be the better part of valour", going out into "the dark" to protect those you love is also valorous; sticking your head in the sand isn't.

Marc