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Media InformationArchived Press ReleasesProposed Internet Standard Will Reduce Privacy RisksFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 27 February 2001 Washington, DC -- It will be more difficult for anyone to identify web surfers and track their usage of the Internet when a new standard proposed for the Internet takes effect. Released by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the standard, specified in IETF document RFC 3041, lays out the details of how and when randomly generated information can be used in place of more identifiable fixed data. The standard is designed for use with Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), which was developed by the IETF to enhance network management, security, ease-of-configuration, and scalability of the Internet. Every time someone connects to the Internet, a unique number (called an IP address) is assigned. Addresses are a fundamental requirement of communication and cannot easily be hidden from eavesdroppers and other parties. Part of the IPv6 design includes a larger address space capable of supporting the many billions of devices in the home and office that are expected to be connected to the Internet during the coming decades. Market researchers use techniques (data-mining) that could track Internet usage and, if addresses didn't change, match them to individuals. This is of particular concern with the expected proliferation of next-generation Internet-connected devices (e.g., PDAs, cell phones, etc.) that could be associated with individual users. With the growing use of "always-on" links (DSL, cable modems), users are increasingly subject to data mining that tracks their unchanging Internet address. IPv6 pioneered a labor saving way for "interface identifiers" to be formed automatically in devices, as one of the various methods of setting up addresses. But, both this and the interface identifiers in "always-on" environments result in permanent numbers as part of the addresses and allow the same tracking as the current Internet Protocol (IPv4). Randomly generated numbers can be used in place of the permanent numbers, and the release of RFC 3041 will standardize how and when that will be done. It addresses methodologies to resolve the establishment of IPv6 addresses to assure anonymity. "We think this proposed standard is important for protecting the privacy of Internet users," said Jawad Khaki, VP of Windows Networking for Microsoft, "and we are supporting it in Windows XP." IPv6 is expected to replace IPv4 over time, with the two co-existing for the near future. As is common for Internet standards, RFC 3041 will continue to be discussed by the world-wide membership of the IETF, further enhanced, and adopted by Internet vendors in the coming months. RFC references: The following RFC's can be located using http://www.ietf.org/rfc.html and typing in the RFC number in the box::
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