Deep Packet Inspection – Security Tool or Privacy Nightmare?

Deep Packet Inspection, or DPI, is an acronym for any type of computer system that is designed to inspect all the information that passes through a particular point on a network. It’s commonly used to provide network security and defeat certain kinds of viruses…but some people are concerned that DPI is used for more sinister purposes.

DPI can be used to ‘sniff out’ emails, record VOIP phone calls (like Vonage or Skype), and check for illegal file transfers (like sharing your favorite MP3′s with a friend). DPI can also be used to prevent a virus from destroying a network and/or harming an individual’s computer. DPI is the Internet equivalent of a hand gun – good in the right hands (police), bad in the wrong hands (criminals). Read More