FBI Worried New Internet Protocol Could Make It Easier for Criminals to Disappear
- Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:27pm by
Liz Klimas
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Earlier this month, the IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) was rolled out. It is what some have called “only the biggest change in the Internet since its inception.”
The new Internet address protocol, according to an explanation from the New York Times, upgrades the IPv4 and its 3.2 billion IP addresses to a version with 3.4 x 1038 addresses.
(Graphic: IPv6 Launch)
Illustrating this point, the Times states if all these addresses were in M&Ms, it would be enough to completely fill the Great Lakes. Although this change shouldn‘t affect most people’s day-to-day operations — the benefit is it gives the Internet a much needed ability to grow — some are saying it could let criminals slip through the virtual cracks.
CNET reports U.S. and Canadian agencies are worried this protocol will make it harder to trace those committing crimes online because public IP databases could be updated less frequently:
The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police officials have told industry representatives that IPv6 traceability is necessary to identify people suspected of crimes. The FBI has even suggested that a new law may be necessary if the private sector doesn’t do enough voluntarily.
Investigations stemming from kidnappings, the September 11 terrorist attacks, and the Mytob worm have involved tracing previous-generation IPv4 addresses back to an Internet provider’s customer, the FBI says. The bureau says it needs the same level of traceability for IPv6, which got a boost in popularity last week thanks to World IPv6 Day.
“We‘re looking at a problem that’s about to occur,” John Curran, president of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), a nonprofit group that allocates blocks of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses in North America and the Caribbean, told CNET. “It occurs as service providers start to roll out V6.”
The Verge explains that law enforcement often use IP addresses to target crimes such as sending spam and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Gizmodo explains the problem law enforcement agencies have with this protocol is that they “could have a tougher job tracing IP addresses through publicly available logs.”
An FBI spokesperson said to CNET that today “complete registries of what IPv4 addresses are ”owned” by an operator. Depending on how the IPv6 system is rolled out, that registry may or may not be sufficient for law enforcement to identify what device is accessing the Internet.”
If this is the case, information needed can still be obtained but it is assumed investigations would be delayed as subpeonas and court orders would be needed identify who the agency needs to contact in order to pull together records.
CNET reports FBI supervisory special agent Bobby Flaim saying the agency is hoping Internet providers will come up with a “self-regulatory method” to take care of keeping up-to -date IPv6 addresses.
Learn more about the IPv6 launch in this video:
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bagz
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:33amThis is such a joke. No one uses IPv6, which is why it was shot down years ago. The very idea that its harder to trace is true….. unless you go through the service provider.
Apple doesnt even use IPv6
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/041312-apple-ipv6-258241.html?hpg1=bn
No one cared in 1998 when this came out and no one cares now.
Report Post »lfoa
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:36amWhere do you get your info?
Report Post »angelofmercy
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:07pmHumm sounds like the FBI needs to work out the kinks in CALEA’s software or hardware to work with IPV6. Thinking they should have done this a few years back when talk of rolling out IPV6 was a go because IPV4 addresses were almost all used up. Now they have to play catch up , and now they are complaining about it. Kinda have to laugh a bit about this.
Report Post »angelofmercy
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:21pmYou are incorrect. My local ISP has it working on some areas of it’s network . You can see if your ISP has it up and going as well by doing a test. http://whatismyv6.com/ , or http://ipv6test.google.com/
Report Post »clinker
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 5:52amAnd now the government will criminalize everybody on the net……except themselves.
A crime is committed, everybody in sight is arrested and held………..like THAT will never happen, right?
Yeah, right…..
Report Post »DRAGONSEED
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 10:53pmAw, shucks. Does that mean the average user will be LESS STALKABLE by the sneaky snoops online? –Let’s hope it makes it harder for Google to ogle us.
Report Post »TRUMPETCALL
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 10:15pmUh, Oh….. Mammy…..
O don’t like the sound of THAT!
Noooo Sirreee!!
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 7:57pmIt’s the FBI you should be worried about not IPv6.
Report Post »TRUMPETCALL
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 10:14pmUh, Oh….. Mammy…..
I don’t like the sound of THAT!!
Noooo Sirrreeee!
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 10:23pmWell, the FBI, the FDA, the EPA, the TSA, the …
Report Post »angelofmercy
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:25pmYou forgot CIA “CIA Chief: We’ll Spy On You Through Your Dishwasher” , and the NSA , “NSA: It Would Violate Your Privacy to Say if We Spied on You “
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 6:50pmThis has been coming for at least 4 years now and almost every NIC (Network Interface Card) made in the last 4 years is IPv6 compatible.
The only difference between IPv4 and IPv6 is a longer Hexadecimal number which means more device connections are possible on the Internet. IPv6 will not stop hacking, DDoS attacks, computers from becoming part of a BotNet, Spam or anything else.
It only means that any IPv4 addresses the Government has logged as suspicious (and gets a new IPv6 address) will have become useless for further investigations. If the Government didn‘t stop the activity using an IPv4 address they won’t stop it with a new IPv6 address.
This is similar to upgrading phone numbers and license plate numbers to accommodate more users in an area. It’s no big deal but, the Government will use this to cast blame elsewhere for their incompetence.
Report Post »lketchum
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 7:32pmHi The-Monk,
You stated: “The only difference between IPv4 and IPv6 is a longer Hexadecimal number which means more device connections are possible on the Internet..”
This is not entirely true. IPv6 packets contain 128 bits of intelligence per packet, as opposed to IPv4′s 32 bits per packet.
This means that a great deal more can be done within the packet, like configuration files for auto-configuration, and or dynamic routing based upon efficiencies. While interfaces may not have to be upgraded, routers and switches not compatible with the new format will.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 8:04pm@lketchum
I didn’t want to get too detailed in my short description. Most all WAN devices will, of course, have to be updated. However, all LAN devices will not. All non-routable LAN IP addresses can remain IPv4, ie, 192.168.x.x.
Do I have this wrong?
Report Post »slvrserfr
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 6:39pmIt’ll also be easier to launder money, but what do they expect when the world population exponentially increases and the need for bigger and more complex IP addresses becomes more of an issue in need of a resolution which IPv6 provides. In a way, it would actually make the Internet more private as it would make it harder for the average person to have their personal information tracked by organizations that prey upon them in order to sell to marketers for revenue.
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 5:25pmo well pigs fight real crime for a change instead of looking or staging it.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 21, 2012 at 5:07pmThey are afraid the criminals will disappear? They do not arrest them anyway. They send them to vote and some to D.C., so what would they really care? These people will not bother anyone unless they are on the other side of their political agenda.
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