The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), together with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) issued the latest security guidelines for internet protocol version 6 (IPv6).
The security guidelines aim at providing support to organizations in Qatar that are currently implementing or planning to implement IPv6 in their networks and show the network configuration commands necessary for IPv6 implementation. These include diagrams that map each security measure to the role of networking equipment and outline IPv6 security vulnerabilities together with the mitigation techniques for each issue.
CRA’s technical affairs department director Ali al-Suwaidi said, “We are pleased to issue these security guidelines that we have developed in collaboration with CMU-Q, which contributes to ensuring the security of IPv6 networks. The issuance of the guidelines is considered an important step towards the implementation of the Qatar IPv6 National Strategy that CRA has developed to establish foundational and high-level guidance for the IPv6 transition in Qatar.”
Considered as the next generation internet protocol that will serve as the backbone of the internet for the next several decades, IPv6 provides higher internet security and ensures the readiness for new upcoming next-generation technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT).
Dr. Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, said, “I am very proud of this collaboration with CRA. Together, we worked to create a roadmap to implement better and more secure computing in Qatar. Everyone in Qatar who connects to the internet will benefit from this careful, thoughtful approach to improved connectivity for decades to come”.
In addition, CRA’s standards and next-generation technology section head Eng Salma al-Sulaiti said, “The IPv6 security guidelines are developed as an extension of the IPv6 dual-stack implementation guidelines we have issued earlier, where we aimed to cover the technical aspects of IPv6 security and to support and facilitate organizations’ smooth and wide transition to IPv6 across all sectors in Qatar. The guidelines offer practical advice and instructions to organizations that they can tailor to their needs.”
