US Patent 11483294 Method for anonymizing network data using differential privacy

The invention described herein is directed to methods and systems for protecting network trace data. Network traces are used for network management, packet classification, traffic engineering, tracking user behavior, identifying user behavior, analyzing network hierarchy, maintaining network security, and classifying packet flows. In some embodiments, network trace data is protected by subjecting network trace data to data anonymization using an anonymization algorithm that simultaneously provides sufficient privacy to accommodate the organization need of the network trace data owner, provides acceptable data utility to accommodate management and/or network investigative needs, and provides efficient data analysis, at the same time.