Encoding watermarks in a sequence of sent packets, the encoding useful for uniquely identifying an entity in encrypted networks

An apparatus comprising one or more processors and one or more memories including computer program code;

• the one or more memories and the computer program code being configured, with the one or more processors, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
• examining a sequence of packets sent over a network from a source entity to a destination entity, each packet in the sequence comprising a same identifier corresponding to a network entity on the network;
• determining whether a property of the sequence of packets was modified when sent by the source entity to uniquely identify the sequence of packets;
• and
• responsive to a determination the property of the sequence of packets was modified when sent to uniquely identify the packets, associating the identifier with the network identity;
• wherein determining further comprises determining that the sequence of packets was modified by the source entity through modification of sizes of packets in the sequence to uniquely identify the sequence of packets using variances in packet sizes.