Re: [IPv6] Can We Turn the Global Network into a Firewall Protecting All End Users?

Mark Andrews <[email protected]>
Newsgroups gmane.ietf.6lo,gmane.ietf.ipv6
Message-ID <[email protected]>

> On 23 Apr 2024, at 16:51, Hubert W <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> Dear WG,
> 
> 
> I woke up with one idea and I would like to challenge it. 
> In IPv6, every device receives a routable address. To protect endpoints effectively, we require firewalls to filter unwanted traffic. 

Apart from packet volume this is a false assertion.  No device should require a firewall.

> But what if we could stop such traffic at the source? Could this approach convince more people toward adopting IPv6?
> 
> According to RFC 7381: “In a /48 assignment, typical for a site, there are then still 65,535 /64 blocks.” and “All user access networks should be a /64.”

/64 is typical not required.

> Can we use then bit 63 to convey a message: “I don’t want any incoming traffic initiated towards me!!!”? Of course a response would be accepted.
> 
> We could divide the /64 allocations into two groups: one for servers, and these accept incoming traffic (bit 63 = 0):
> 
> for example 2001:0db8:0000:0000::/64
> 
> And the second group: endpoints, these never accept incoming traffic (bit 63 = 1):
> 
> for example 2001:0db8:0000:0001::/64
> 
> We only need all systems to understand the message. If a router or firewall sees such a packet, then drops it. 
> Every TCP packet with flag SYN, where destination address (IPv6) has bit 63 equal 1, must be dropped.

All the world is not TCP.  Additionally for TCP the filtering device would need to track state and that implies symmetric routing.

> Would it be theoretically possible?

No.

> Best regards
> 
> Hubert Wisniewski
> 
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-- 
Mark Andrews, ISC
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742              INTERNET: [email protected]

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