Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Service Pack 1, and Windows XP Service Pack 2 natively include Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), but it’s not a default installation. But, while other Windows IPv6 versions are available via third-party add-ons, there is no implementation schedule for a production release of IPv6 for Windows 2000.

The Microsoft implementation of IPv6 provides minor security enhancements to a Windows network for which an organization has properly installed and configured this protocol. However, there are some security issues that organizations need to be aware of before installing this new IP protocol.

Advantages
Security enhancements gained through the Microsoft IPv6 implementation are modest. Initially, any attacker trying to hack your network must scan the IPv6 address space (which is significantly larger than the IPv4 address space) to find your network. This can slow down a black hat, but you shouldn’t rely solely on security through obscurity.

As for security enhancements, that’s about it. If you’re using the advanced features of IPv4, there are several major security degradations you’ll need to consider before upgrading to IPv6. [Continued…]