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DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION
FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY / JUNE 16, 2003: VOL. 2 NO. 24
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Breaking News -
Security:
ISS Dynamic Threat Protection
Platform Protects Agaisnt IPv6
Internet Security Systems Inc (ISS) has announced the ability of its
unified
Dynamic Threat Protection platform to address the next generation of Internet
Protocol, Internet Protocol version 6, also known as IPv6 or IP-NG. ISS'
Dynamic Threat Protection platform is the first and only security platform to
provide sophisticated, automated protection for customers against threats
associated with emergent IPv6 technology.
IPv6 is the designated successor to the current Internet Protocol version 4
(IPv4), and carries a number of significant performance and security
advantages over earlier versions. However, these same benefits also work to
the advantage of IPv6-savvy attackers since many network administrators have
not deployed IPv6 and are unaware that IPv6 traffic can pass surreptitiously
through older IPv4 networks.
ISS' RealSecure Network 7.0 intrusion protection application and Proventia
protection appliances, both part of the Dynamic Threat Protection platform,
support several current IPv6 standards and tunneling mechanisms. ISS' core
protection engine technology in RealSecure and Proventia has the ability to
decode and inspect all supported IPv4 protocols, and any associated attacks or
misuse even if encapsulated in IPv6. RealSecure and Proventia completely
decode and inspect IPv6 encapsulated in SIT ("Simple Internet Transition" or
"Six In Tunnel") tunnels, either static SIT tunnels or 6 to 4 auto SIT
tunnels.
"Many IPv4 network administrators are already behind when it comes to
protection against IPv6 abuse. Businesses and vendors who are not prepared to
support or recognize IPv6 are also not prepared to defend against IPv6
enhanced attacks. Hackers are already actively taking advantage of new IPv6
services, and turning this lack of understanding about IPv6 to their own
advantage," said Chris Rouland, vice president of Internet Security System's
renowned X-Force security intelligence organization. "However, strong IPv6
security practices, products and services provided by Internet Security
Systems' unified Dynamic Threat Protection platform are already available to
protect customers against these newly emergent threats. IPv6 offers security
advantages to those who can best utilize it, and we are advising the
marketplace to understand and recognize its capabilities."
IPv6 is steadily growing in popularity worldwide, and IPv6-only production
networks already exist in Europe and Asia. In addition, significant work has
gone into developing and standardizing IPv6 transition mechanisms to ease the
shift from IPv4 to IPv6. These mechanisms, coupled with well-connected tunnel
brokers on every continent, mean that IPv6 is now readily available to anyone
with an IPv4 address, regardless of whether IPv6 is supported.
The existing protection technology in ISS' Dynamic Threat Protection
platform
is ready for IPv6, making protection across this emerging standard both
practical and straightforward for all ISS customers. ISS has developed an IPv6
whitepaper that discusses the security implications of IPv6 and the ISS
solutions that enable administrators to protect against attacks, intrusions
and backdoors that take specific advantage of the protocol. For more
information on IPv6 and the security implications and advantages that are
associated with it, please visit the ISS Web site at
documents.iss.net/whitepapers/IPv6.pdf to download a free
copy of the
whitepaper.
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