<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-20</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001097338</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WITNESS SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WITS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192467</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BATTERY INVESTMENT PARTNERS IV LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BATTERY VENTURES</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>20 WILLIAM STREET, SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WELLESLEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02481</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>750000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2213162</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>11421</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2201741</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Distribution to the partners of Battery Ventures IV, L.P. (&quot;Battery Ventures&quot;) for no consideration.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Distribution to the members of Battery Investment Partners IV, LLC (&quot;BIP&quot;) for no consideration.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Not applicable</footnote><footnote id="F4">Includes 44,448 shares directly owned and 2,168,714 shares held of record by Battery Ventures.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Includes 33,027 shares directly owned and 2,168,714 shares held of record by Battery Ventures.</footnote><footnote id="F6"> BIP invests alongside Battery Ventures in all investments made by Battery Ventures and, therefore, BIP may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held of record by Battery Ventures.  Battery Ventures disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares beneficially owned by BIP.  BIP disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares beneficially owned by Battery Ventures.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Christopher Hanson as Attorney-in-Fact for Richard D. Frisbie, Manager of Battery Investment Partners IV, LLC</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

