One of the ways it can happen is if a router doesn’t have a proper IPv6 firewall.
The majority of internet users in the USA have IPv6 connectivity - something like 55-60% overall, and close to 100% on some networks. T-Mobile’s network is 100% IPv6-only, using 464XLAT for connectivity to legacy IPv4-only servers. Most Comcast customers have IPv6 too, as they were the first major ISP to roll out IPv6, close to 15 years ago now.
Without an IPv6 firewall on the router, all devices on your network are directly accessible from the outside world (unless they’re running their own firewall, of course). At least Windows ships with a firewall enabled by default, which reduces the impact for Windows users.
I’ve seen this in places you wouldn’t expect it, too. TP-Link’s prosumer/SMB 10Gbps router (Omada ER8411) didn’t have an IPv6 firewall until about a year after launch. I had to disable IPv6 until then. They did add it, but I’ve since switched to a Unifi Cloud Gateway Fiber.
Thankfully I haven’t seen it recently, so maybe it’s not an issue any more on modern hardware.
NAT is a hack, not a security feature, and IPv6 removes the need for it. The firewall is the security feature. (edit: the firewall on the router)
I still don’t understand your point. With a firewall on the router, there’s no difference between IPv4 and IPv6. Both are firewalled at the router. Where are the “bugs and vulns”?
If you mean my original point of the firewall not being enabled by default, I haven’t seen that recently. It was a problem historically.
One of the ways it can happen is if a router doesn’t have a proper IPv6 firewall.
The majority of internet users in the USA have IPv6 connectivity - something like 55-60% overall, and close to 100% on some networks. T-Mobile’s network is 100% IPv6-only, using 464XLAT for connectivity to legacy IPv4-only servers. Most Comcast customers have IPv6 too, as they were the first major ISP to roll out IPv6, close to 15 years ago now.
Without an IPv6 firewall on the router, all devices on your network are directly accessible from the outside world (unless they’re running their own firewall, of course). At least Windows ships with a firewall enabled by default, which reduces the impact for Windows users.
I’ve seen this in places you wouldn’t expect it, too. TP-Link’s prosumer/SMB 10Gbps router (Omada ER8411) didn’t have an IPv6 firewall until about a year after launch. I had to disable IPv6 until then. They did add it, but I’ve since switched to a Unifi Cloud Gateway Fiber.
Thankfully I haven’t seen it recently, so maybe it’s not an issue any more on modern hardware.
NAT is a hack, not a security feature, and IPv6 removes the need for it. The firewall is the security feature. (edit: the firewall on the router)
Mmm whole new class of bugs and vulns being introduced in one statement.
Now my 3d printer needs its firewall babysat. So does my smart fan. Excellent idea.
Homes and businesses should be islands.
The firewall is on the router.
facepalm
yes, that’s my point, because the devices can’t be trusted to firewall themselves.
I still don’t understand your point. With a firewall on the router, there’s no difference between IPv4 and IPv6. Both are firewalled at the router. Where are the “bugs and vulns”?
If you mean my original point of the firewall not being enabled by default, I haven’t seen that recently. It was a problem historically.
You can have IPv6 on your router, and an isolated network. It’s just not necessarily what’s done by default.
yaaay so the default is my 2030 smart toaster is gonna be on a botnet
NAT is a blessing protecting the consumer from neglegent manufacturers
Having a default firewall is also a blessing, which all good routers should do. NAT is a curse.