Editing Traffic analysis (section)

=== COMINT metadata analysis ===
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The '''Communications' Metadata Intelligence''', or '''COMINT metadata''' is a term in [[communications intelligence]] (COMINT) referring to the concept of producing intelligence by analyzing only the technical [[metadata]], hence, is a great practical example for traffic analysis in intelligence.<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 April 2001|title=Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms|url=http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/new_pubs/jp1_02.pdf|url-status=dead|website=Department of Defense|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091108082044/http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/new_pubs/jp1_02.pdf|archive-date=2009-11-08}}</ref>

While traditionally information gathering in COMINT is derived from intercepting transmissions, tapping the target's communications and monitoring the content of conversations, the metadata intelligence is not based on content but on technical communicational data.

Non-content COMINT is usually used to deduce information about the user of a certain transmitter, such as locations, contacts, activity volume, routine and its exceptions.