Cview to be used for deep packet inspection say Virgin Media

It has recently been announced that network operator Virgin Media will soon be using a deep packet inspection technology known as Cview in order to improve security on its network.

A company called Detica has developed the technology that determines the level of piracy on a network using Deep packet inspection to view information within individual pieces of data. A number of privacy groups believe that the use of this form of data inspection tool is an invasion of individual users’ online privacy.

Following the discovery of secret testing and an increasing concern over privacy another company who carried out trials of a similar technology call Phorm has failed to achieve success in the UK.

Part of a new music service from Virgin Media has, however, led the network operator to sign up to use the Cview technology on a trial basis before agreeing to long term use of the technology.

In order to ensure the privacy of the user Detica have claimed that the technology fully complies with their strict design principles and is completely anonymous and it has advised that it is dedicated to overall privacy instead of that of an individual user by using a fully automated process.

The amount of data that will be collected from individual users has yet to be determined, nor is much known about the technology itself, which will lead many privacy groups to view this technology as another attempt to invade the privacy of users, although the fact that it has openly announced the trials may be a good start.

Many ISPs may not have a choice in using this form of technology in the future if government legislation is passed and procedures like this are brought into law in the very near future.

Jon James, the executive director of broadband at virgin media said “Understanding how consumer behaviour is changing will be an important requirement of Virgin Media’s upcoming music offering and, should they become law, the Government’s legislative proposals will also require measurement of the level of copyright infringement on ISPs’ networks. Detica’s CView technology potentially offers a non-intrusive solution which enhances our understanding of aggregate customer behaviour without identifying or storing individual customers’ data.”

Source – UK Cheap Broadband