IPv6 Security with MT6D

May 12, 2011

Virginia Tech runs one of the few production scale IPv6 networks in the United States, with a network of more than 30,000 computing and communication systems. As owners of a system this size and the range of Users involved security is obviously an issue. And, being a university with all sorts of smart people around notably their IT Security Lab and the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering they decided to do something about it. The result is MT6D (Moving Target IPv6 Defense (MT6D).

Virginia Tech runs one of the few production scale IPv6 networks in the United States, with a network of more than 30,000 computing and communication systems. As owners of a system this size and the range of Users involved security is obviously an issue. And, being a university with all sorts of smart people around notably their IT Security Lab and the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering they decided to do something about it. The result is MT6D (Moving Target IPv6 Defense (MT6D).

MT6D uses a new form of dynamic addressing in IPv6 to secure and “anonymize” network hosts and their communications. Exploiting the large address space in IPv6, MT6D rotates network and transport layer addresses mid-session to prevent hosts from being targeted for network attacks and from having their movements and communications observed.

MT6D can be implemented embedded on a device or as a network gateway requiring negligible configuration, and is therefore transparent to hosts so that it can be easily deployed in mobile devices, the smart grid, and industrial control systems (SCADA). Because the “secret sauce” to this security relies on rotating IP addresses those control applications that had relied on static IP addresses embedded in the associated ‘code’ will not be able to use this technology. MT6D is available for license with the target audience for these licenses being virtual private network (VPN) and mobile VPN vendors.

Make no mistake, security is serious business. A 2009 study found an average organizational cost of $6.75 million per data breach while the global information technology security market was estimated to be $60 billion in 2009 and growing at a compound annual growth rate of 12%.

More information on MT6D can be found at http://www.isssource.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/051111va-tech.pdf and http://www.isssource.com/students-secure-new-internet-protocol/

Sponsored Recommendations

Make Effortless HMI and PLC Modifications from Anywhere

The tiny EZminiWiFi is a godsend for the plant maintenance engineers who need to make a minor modification to the HMI program or, for that matter, the PLC program. It's very easy...

The Benefits of Using American-Made Automation Products

Discover the benefits of American-made automation products, including stable pricing, faster delivery, and innovative features tailored to real-world applications. With superior...

50 Years of Automation Innovation and What to Expect Next

Over the past 50 years, the automation technology landscape has changed dramatically, but many of the underlying industry needs remain unchanged. To learn more about what’s changed...

Manufacturing Marvels Highlights Why EZAutomation Is a Force to Be Reckoned With

Watch EZAutomation's recent feature on the popular FOX Network series "Manufacturing Marvels" and discover what makes them a force to be reckoned with in industrial automation...