About¶
CautiousConnect is a free and open datafeed from SixInt, Inc that provides a simple way for organizations to connect to the IPv6 internet safely and cautiously. SixInt’s mapping technologies, algorithms, and artificial intelligence provide unprecedented visibility into the IPv6 Internet. We’ve assimilated this IPv6 intelligence into a set of known-good websites, providers, and services that comprise CautiousConnect.
Why IPv6¶
IPv6 is the next-generation standard of the core Internet Protocol. IPv6 is widely supported in modern computers and it’s use is mandated by many governments. If your organization is not IPv6 connected, it’s only partially “on the Internet.” However, many organization don’t have the time and personnel to secure yet another protocol. CautiousConnect allows organizations to connect to the IPv6 Internet without risk.
How it works¶
Traditional firewalls identify and block traffic to known malicious sites and IP addresses, for instance blocking traffic to malware, spam or fraud. The size of the IPv6 address space is much (much) larger than the size of the IPv4 address space, meaning that connections to most of the IPv6 space is allowed:
Because of the very large size of the IPv6 address space, this presents a very real problem: malicious sites can easily “move” and are much harder to block – a virtual “whack-a-mole.”
By default, CautiousConnect blocks all IPv6 traffic, both inbound to and outbound from your network, except for known-good destinations. This enables organizations to connect to the IPv6 Internet in an incremental fashion by minimizing the operational risk, while receiving all of the benefits of IPv6 connectivity. Deploying CautiousConnect further minimizes operational impact by ensuring that any blocked connections from your enterprise are automatically downgraded to IPv4 – thus, reverting to your organization’s default security posture.
CautiousConnect is a free and open service from SixInt, Inc. But, we recognize that many organizations require customization, hands-on deployment, training, and integration with our other IPv6 intelligence products. Just contact us, and we’re happy to discuss your IPv6 security needs!