Network Traffic Obfuscation and Automated Internet Censorship

Internet censors seek ways to identify and block internet access to information they deem objectionable. Increasingly, censors deploy advanced networking tools such as deep-packet inspection (DPI) to identify such connections. In response, activists and academic researchers have developed and deployed network traffic obfuscation mechanisms. These apply specialized cryptographic tools to attempt to hide from DPI the true nature and content of connections. This survey offers an overview of network traffic obfuscation and its role in circumventing Internet censorship.