Accelerating IPv6 Adoption – Transitioning from Cost Benefit to Security Benefit

The Introduction of IPv6

It is hard to believe that World IPv6 Launch Day was 12 years ago, on 6 June 2012, and while worldwide adoption of IPv6 continues to accelerate, uptake has been slower than anticipated. The purpose of the World IPv6 Launch Day was to encourage service providers?and web companies to test their services and evaluate their capabilities in the face of the global exhaustion of IPv4 addresses. Fast-forward to today, a quarter?(24.9%) of all worldwide websites now support IPv6.?Therefore, while the adoption of IPv6 to replace IPv4 continues, it is at a slower pace than many industry advocates had hoped. Why is this?

Service providers certainly recognize the benefits of IPv6, including improved efficiency, heightened authentication and encryption security, greater simplicity, and better quality of service, and many are committed to IPv6 adoption. Additionally, many understand that implementing IPv6 can lead to competitive advantage, service differentiation, and increased market share, helping providers on their journey to further network and security benefits in the future.

IPv6 – Not an Overnight Fix

However, the full switch to IPv6 requires the simultaneous conversion of endpoints, networks, internet hosts, and websites. This is complex and costly and does not happen overnight, so it seems clear that service providers—who must provide connectivity to all—will need to support both IPv4 and IPv6 in their networks for some time in the future.

In the interim, many have relied upon carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) to expand IPv4 address pools, but this is deemed a short-term fix that often leaves service providers at risk of growing threats. The security vulnerabilities of this hybrid set-up are often not addressed properly, leaving gaps that attackers can exploit. Therefore, service providers must protect both their IPv4 and IPv6 environments.

Escalating Threat Landscape

Today’s escalating threat landscape, with increased levels of DDoS attacks, ransomware, and other cyber threats against connected devices, subscribers, and networks, opens a rich?potential for cybercriminals to exploit. Service providers, therefore, need to implement more robust and appropriate security measures to protect their network and subscriber revenue-generating services. They should look to vendors who can deliver a strong level of security both now and in the future to provide critical protection to vulnerable devices and subscribers as IPv6 adoption continues to accelerate.

Without a doubt, IPv6 adoption is needed, alongside other modernization initiatives, to provide a more scalable, secure, and efficient networking infrastructure. Service providers should position IPv6 as a service differentiation tool and use it as a springboard to attract new customers. That said, even if there is a cost-benefit to moving from IPv4 to IPv6, that alone isn’t a sufficient argument, and service providers must create security benefits from their investment as well.

Adoption of IPv6 Increasing by 5 Percent Annually

IPv6 traffic will continue to grow steadily, driven by increased awareness and support from service providers and companies. Google reports a 5 percent annual increase in IPv6 traffic, with global adoption likely to surpass 50 percent by the end of 2024, leading to a plateau in IPv4 block prices.

Major service providers will continue to lead this adoption, supported by vendors like A10 Networks. A10 delivers protection at a large scale, high speed, and low latency. Our security solutions portfolio can unlock additional value, business opportunities, and revenue streams for service providers and deliver advanced threat protection to block a wide range of malicious activities. To learn more about A10’s security solutions portfolio and several IPv6 use-case scenarios, download our latest solutions paper,?The Next Steps for Secure IPv6.

“Implementing IPv6 can lead to competitive advantage, service differentiation, and increased market share, helping providers on their journey to further network and security benefits in the future.”

This article appears on the A10 blog.