- IPv6 is needed to address the impending exhaustion of IPv4 address space. It features a 128-bit address compared to 32-bit in IPv4, vastly expanding the available addresses.
- Security issues in transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6 include weaknesses in enumeration, scanning and managing the large IPv6 address space. Firewalls and other perimeter defenses must also protect both IPv4 and IPv6 networks to prevent bypass.
- Attacks can exploit protocols like neighbor discovery in IPv6, as well as vulnerabilities in applications that operate over both IPv4 and IPv6. Proper implementation and maintenance of defenses is needed to secure the transition.