IntroductionWeb analysis includes the study of users’

behavior on the webTraffic analysis – Usage analysisBehavior at particular website or across the

entire webWeb server log files, page tagging, cookies,

network packet sniffing, route tracingWeb usage mining

CookiesCookies are unique identifiers, usually text

files placed on users’ computers by web servers hosting web sites

‘Stateful’ HTTPUsed to authenticate users, optimize and

personalize the presented information, to serve custom advertisements or just to make browsing more convenient for the user

Log filesWeb servers record their transactions in log

filesInformation available includes click streams,

page views and visitsOther useful information - number of unique

visitors, least and most visited pages, average length per visit, top referring sites, top search words

Log files mined to provide data for analysis

Page tagging“Web bugs” or “web beacons”Information retrieved from log files may not

be accurate in the presence of web cachesA web bug or web beacon is a small object,

usually a transparent graphic image which is embedded in a web page to track the users visiting the web page and identify them

Usually used by third‐party servers

Network packet sniffingSimilar to a wiretapping deviceThe sniffer is passive device that can capture

each packet as data streams flow across the network decode and analyze its content

Network management advantages - analyzing network problems, detecting intrusion attempts, debug network protocols and filter suspected content from network traffic

Vulnerable to misuse - monitoring network usage, reporting statistics and collecting sensitive information

Uses - Personalization‘Personalization is the provision to an individual

of tailored products, services, information or information relating to products or services’

Information gathered implicitly or explicitly and aggregated

Memorization and CustomizationApplications - customizing access to information

sources, filtering news or e‐mails, targeted marketing and advertising, recommendation services for the browsing process

Uses - AdvertisingCustom advertising based on information

gatheredExample – DoubleClickA user’s “profile” includes demographic

attributes (age, income etc.) and preferences that may be gathered explicitly or implicitly

Marketing Web analysis data can be analyzed to determine

how visitors to the web site react to marketing offers and improve marketing strategies

Privacy ImplicationsPrivacy is the control of personal informationAnonymity on the webPrivacy Vs. convenienceMany websites do not take user’s permission

before placing a tracking device, this is the default behavior and functionality is affected if this feature is disabled

Example - Toysmart, AOLThird-party cookies, email web bugs, route

tracing and identity theft

Technological supportSecure cookies - encryption of the messages

passed through SSLEmail clients to prevent web bugsPlatform for Privacy Preferences Project (P3P)Anonymizing tools

Anonymous proxy (Anonymizer)Lucent Personalized Web Assistant (LPWA)Crowds

Anonymous Routing (Onion routers) – provide layers of encryption

Thank you