Malaysia has taken a significant step towards embracing the future of internet connectivity by initiating preparations for the migration to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).
As the third country globally to embark on this transition, Malaysia aims to enhance cybersecurity and assert its legal sovereignty in the digital realm, according to Bernama.
Derek John Fernandez, a member of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), emphasised the importance of moving from the current IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) to IPv6.
Unlike IPv4, which faces address exhaustion due to its limited pool of available addresses, IPv6 provides a vast number of unique IP addresses. Each internet user can have their own distinct address, improving security and facilitating efficient communication.
While progress has been made, Fernandez acknowledges that the transition is not yet complete. The MCMC plans to secure the National Internet Registry registration number for Malaysia.
This move would place the country’s IP addresses under government jurisdiction, a process expected to take between three to five years. Currently, Malaysia lacks full authority over IP addresses, which are critical assets in the digital landscape.
Even though the news mentioned Malaysia being the third country, according to Akamai, at the time of writing, we are actually at the fourth spot when it comes to IPv6 adoption.
The third spot belongs to India, second is Monserrat, and the first spot is Pitcairn, the latter two being British Overseas Territories.
What is IPv4 and IPv6?
The Internet Protocol (IP) is a set of rules governing the transmission of packets of data across the internet to their intended destinations. Presently, there are two versions of IP in use: IPv4 and IPv6. Let’s learn the differences between those two.
- IPv4:
- Address Format: IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numeric addresses written as four groups of numbers separated by periods (e.g., 192.168.10.150).
- Information Storage: Each group of numbers stores one byte of information, resulting in a total of 32 bits per address.
- Unique Addresses: IPv4 allows for approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses.
- Limitations: Due to the explosion of internet-connected devices, IPv4 addresses are running out.
- IPv6:
- Address Format: IPv6 addresses are longer and contain both numbers and letters. They use hexadecimal colon notation (e.g., 3002:0bd6:0000:0000:0000:ee00:0033:6778).
- Information Storage: IPv6 addresses have 128 bits of information storage.
- Unique Addresses: IPv6 supports an astounding 2^128 unique addresses, which is over 1,000 times the number of IPv4 addresses.
- Future-Proofing: With IPv6, we won’t run out of addresses anytime soon.
IPv6 offers significantly more addresses, improved security, and better scalability compared to IPv4. However, both versions coexist on the internet today.
Why does the government want to control the IP addresses?
It helps them monitor and protect national digital infrastructure from cyber threats, including hacking, espionage, and terrorism. By managing IP addresses, governments can better track suspicious activities and mitigate cyber attacks.
However, it can also be used to enforce censorship and restrict access to certain websites or online content. This can include blocking access to politically sensitive material, preventing the dissemination of misinformation, or controlling the flow of information within and outside the country.
