Internet Protocol (IPv4 and IPv6)¶
The Internet Protocol (IP) serves as the fundamental communication backbone of global networks, enabling the interconnected digital world we rely on today. This guide provides a comprehensive examination of both IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, their inherent vulnerabilities, and the sophisticated attack vectors that threaten modern network infrastructure.
As organisations continue their transition from IPv4 to IPv6 whilst often maintaining dual-stack environments, understanding the security implications of both protocols becomes increasingly critical. The expanded address space and new features of IPv6 introduce both opportunities and challenges, whilst legacy IPv4 networks continue to face evolving threats.
The internet runs on IP. So do attackers.
- Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) protocol notes
- Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) protocol notes
- Attack tree (IPv4 and IPv6)
- IP fragmentation (IPv4)
- ICMP abuse (IPv4)
- ARP apoofing/poisoning (IPv4)
- NAT abuse (IPv4)
- SLAAC & RA attacks (IPv6)
- NDP exploitation (IPv6)
- IPv6 Extension header abuse
- Dual-stack attacks (IPv4 and IPv6)
- IP spoofing & DDoS amplification
- BGP hijacking & route leaks
- TTL expiry attacks
- Geolocation spoofing