Currently, the dominant internetworking protocol is Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). Yet, each IPv4 address is limited to a thirty-two bit field length, which corresponds to a maximum of approximately four billion unique internetworking addresses. IPv6 is the next generation of IP messaging that uses a one-hundred-twenty-eight bit field length, resulting in an enormous increase of supportable unique addresses. In fact, the new allotment will permit every person on this planet to have over four billion internetworking addresses!

Potential IPv6 conversion issues are internetworking device computational and/or bandwidth overhead, which in turn can impact communication performance. End-users who are planning migration to IPv6 as well as designers and implementers of IPv6, must understand the technology in order to assess the risks associated with this paradigm shift and prepare effective and efficient responses.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

IBM. Armonk, New York: International Business Machines. http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zvm/v5r4/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.zvm.v54.kijl0/hcsk7b3014.htm (accessed: February 5, 2012).

IPv6 Addressing. Na: IP6.com. http://ipv6.com/articles/general/IPv6-Addressing.htm (accessed: January 26, 2011).

Unicast IPv6 addresses. Redmond, WA: Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759208(WS.10).aspx (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Wikipedia. San Francisco, CA: Wikimedia Foundation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_switching (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Post Note: “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking – Part VI” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking”

The IPSec model is an architecture composed of standard rules for protecting IP traffic. IPSec is also a set of protocols utilized to secure IP packet exchanges that operate at the Internet Layer of the TCP/IP reference model. IPSec utilizes certificates and Public Keys to authenticate and validate the sender and receiver.

Tunnel and Transport are the two telecommunication modes supported by IPSec. IPSec standard rules can be incorporated into transport and tunnel mode encapsulation. As a distinctive feature, Tunnel mode provides two additional header records for sending messages, thus requiring more processing. In addition, Tunnel mode is usually implemented between two gateways or a gateway and server.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

IBM. Armonk, New York: International Business Machines. http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zvm/v5r4/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.zvm.v54.kijl0/hcsk7b3014.htm (accessed: February 5, 2012).

IPv6 Addressing. Na: IP6.com. http://ipv6.com/articles/general/IPv6-Addressing.htm (accessed: January 26, 2011).

Unicast IPv6 addresses. Redmond, WA: Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759208(WS.10).aspx (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Wikipedia. San Francisco, CA: Wikimedia Foundation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_switching (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Post Note: “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking – Part V” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking”

IPSec network security capabilities

Internetwork security is integrated into the design of the IPv6 architecture, and the IPv6 ITEF specification mandates support for IPSec as a fundamental interoperability requirement.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

IBM. Armonk, New York: International Business Machines. http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zvm/v5r4/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.zvm.v54.kijl0/hcsk7b3014.htm (accessed: February 5, 2012).

IPv6 Addressing. Na: IP6.com. http://ipv6.com/articles/general/IPv6-Addressing.htm (accessed: January 26, 2011).

Unicast IPv6 addresses. Redmond, WA: Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759208(WS.10).aspx (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Wikipedia. San Francisco, CA: Wikimedia Foundation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_switching (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Post Note: “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking – Part IV” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking”

Datagram transmission across multiple IP networks

Packet switching is commonly employed to optimize available channel capacity in digital networks, to minimize transmission latency in message delivery and to enhance processing reliability in addressing modes.

IPv6 packet-switched addressing encompasses three general categories for transport:

• Unicast – protocol fields act as an identifier for a single interface (within the ambit of the unicast address type). An IPv6 packet sent to a Unicast address is delivered to the interface identified by that address.
• Multicast – protocol fields act as an identifier for a set of interfaces that can belong to different nodes. An IPv6 packet delivered to a Multicast address is delivered to the interfaces specified by the ambit indicators.
• Anycast – protocol fields act as identifiers for a set of interfaces that can belong to the different nodes. An IPv6 packet destined for an Anycast address is delivered to one of the interfaces identified by the protocol fields defined administratively.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

IBM. Armonk, New York: International Business Machines. http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zvm/v5r4/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.zvm.v54.kijl0/hcsk7b3014.htm (accessed: February 5, 2012).

IPv6 Addressing. Na: IP6.com. http://ipv6.com/articles/general/IPv6-Addressing.htm (accessed: January 26, 2011).

Unicast IPv6 addresses. Redmond, WA: Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759208(WS.10).aspx (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Wikipedia. San Francisco, CA: Wikimedia Foundation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_switching (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Post Note: “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking – Part III” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking”

As presented in the article A Few Fundamentals of Networking Electronically Encoded Data, data must be organized for transmission. Thus, the creation of usable telecommunication packets requires appending a unique header to the message destined to traverse the internetwork. Technically, in order to send messages utilizing IP addressing, a program must prepare IP datagrams through the encapsulation of received datum.

As a potential delivery option, packet switching is an electronically-based communications method for grouping all transmittable data into suitably-sized packets, without exceeding the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) allocation. To achieve this goal, packets are routed individually, sometimes resulting in different paths and out-of-order delivery; thus requiring accurate message reassembly.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

IBM. Armonk, New York: International Business Machines. http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zvm/v5r4/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.zvm.v54.kijl0/hcsk7b3014.htm (accessed: February 5, 2012).

IPv6 Addressing. Na: IP6.com. http://ipv6.com/articles/general/IPv6-Addressing.htm (accessed: January 26, 2011).

Unicast IPv6 addresses. Redmond, WA: Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759208(WS.10).aspx (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Wikipedia. San Francisco, CA: Wikimedia Foundation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_switching (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Post Note: “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking – Part II” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking”

Internet Protocol (IP) addressing can provide a connectionless service for end systems to communicate across one or more networks. Within this context, during the original development of this communication addressing scheme, the designers assumed that computer networks would be unreliable.

The current Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) sponsored IP specification, IP version six ( IPv6), is an Internet Layer protocol — as defined by the four layer Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) model — for packet-switched internetworking that provides end-to-end datagram transmission across multiple IP networks, and mandates IP Security (IPSec) protocol suite support as a foundational interoperability requirement.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

IBM. Armonk, New York: International Business Machines. http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zvm/v5r4/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.zvm.v54.kijl0/hcsk7b3014.htm (accessed: February 5, 2012).

IPv6 Addressing. Na: IP6.com. http://ipv6.com/articles/general/IPv6-Addressing.htm (accessed: January 26, 2011).

Unicast IPv6 addresses. Redmond, WA: Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759208(WS.10).aspx (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Wikipedia. San Francisco, CA: Wikimedia Foundation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_switching (accessed: February 5, 2012).

Post Note: “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking – Part I” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “A Few Fundamental Features of IPv6 Internetworking”

Intel Central Processing Unit (CPU)

A potential consequence for a breach in memory protection is a halt in all current processing. Therefore, the operating system should monitor the partitions to ensure that no program coding or data are moved into the wrong partition to prevent information corruption and unauthorized manipulation. Furthermore, operating systems should check to ensure data read into devices from other media are of the correct length. The operating system’s data length check prevents errors, such as blocks of records being too long for the memory buffer storage area.

Controlling privileged instructions

I/O allocation and control dynamically matches and assigns channels and devices with the processes’ particular requirements, monitors the status, and controls operations. Where online features are part of the IT configuration, communication with a terminal control unit (TCU) or front-end processor (FEP) are typically included in operating system duties. I/O protection prevents users from accessing privileged instructions.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). rev. ed. New York, NY: Random House. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/linkage editor (accessed: August 30, 2008).

Lyon, Lockwood and Kenniston W. Lord. CDP Review Manual: Covering the ICCP, CDP, CSP, and CCP Examinations, 5th ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1991. 130-2

Minasi, Mark. Complete PC Upgrade and Maintenance Guide, 8th ed. San Francisco, CA: SYBEX, 1997. 263-4

Watne, Donald A. and Peter B. B. Turney. Auditing EDP Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984. 239

Silbershatz, Abraham and Peter B. Galvin. Operating System Concepts, 4th ed. Gainesville, FL: Addison-Wesley, 1995. 49-50

“View Part I of the Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms series here”

Post Note: “Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms – Part III” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms”

In most instances, the purpose of operating system protection mechanisms are to prevent programs from interfering with each other during processing and to ensure there are no errors in referencing of subroutines in the program library; as well as ensure no unauthorized changes are made to authorized instructions.

Regarding entity software controls, all of the functions utilizing the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and associated storage as well as connected input and output devices are potential candidates for operating system defense strategies. Tactically, four primary operating system protection mechanisms are deployable: memory, I/O, processor, and user program controls.

Protecting against unauthorized modification

Memory protection restricts unauthorized modification to privileged programs. The operating system can partition associated memory into segments. Under this condition, each application program or program set will be assigned a particular memory partition. This allows several programs to process simultaneously in a multiprogramming environment, without interfering with each other.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). rev. ed. New York, NY: Random House. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/linkage editor(accessed: August 30, 2008).

Lyon, Lockwood and Kenniston W. Lord. CDP Review Manual: Covering the ICCP, CDP, CSP, and CCP Examinations, 5th ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1991. 130-2

Minasi, Mark. Complete PC Upgrade and Maintenance Guide, 8th ed. San Francisco, CA: SYBEX, 1997. 263-4

Watne, Donald A. and Peter B. B. Turney. Auditing EDP Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984. 239

Silbershatz, Abraham and Peter B. Galvin. Operating System Concepts, 4th ed. Gainesville, FL: Addison-Wesley, 1995. 49-50

“View Part I of the Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms series here”

Post Note: “Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms – Part II” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms”

Third Generation iPod Nano With Embedded Operating System 1.1.3

From mainframe computers to industrial robots to cellular phones, a variety of operating systems are available for deployment. Nevertheless, reflective of current capabilities, an IT operating system is software that controls the execution of electronically encoded instructions and may provide scheduling, debugging, input/output (I/O) control, accounting, compilation, storage assignment, job management, as well as other related services. Of these other related services, operating system protection mechanisms are crucial to ensuring information integrity.

Operating system processor functionality

Operating system functionality is determined by the lead software manufacture. However, operating systems consist of a kernel and at least one processor; with each operating system processor having specific functions that are executed based on user and/or program interface syntax. Whereby, modern operating system processors commonly perform defined process management, memory management, device management, storage management, as well as application-interface and/or user-interface related tasks.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: Assuring Information Assets Protection. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). rev. ed. New York, NY: Random House. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/linkage editor(accessed: August 30, 2008).

Lyon, Lockwood and Kenniston W. Lord. CDP Review Manual: Covering the ICCP, CDP, CSP, and CCP Examinations, 5th ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1991. 130-2

Minasi, Mark. Complete PC Upgrade and Maintenance Guide, 8th ed. San Francisco, CA: SYBEX, 1997. 263-4

Watne, Donald A. and Peter B. B. Turney. Auditing EDP Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984. 239

Silbershatz, Abraham and Peter B. Galvin. Operating System Concepts, 4th ed. Gainesville, FL: Addison-Wesley, 1995. 49-50

Post Note: “Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms – Part I” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “Essential Operating System Protection Mechanisms”

Teleprocessing is the handling of data through a communications channel, such as telephone lines, microwave towers, or artificial satellites. It permits datum to be posted to files in a second location, with the processing results being printed in a third location.

A major problem created by teleprocessing capabilities is the potential devaluation of information assets based on data communication errors affecting information reliability. Consequently, technology owners must evaluate the ability of teleprocessing systems to resist such data corruption to ensure information asset devaluation is minimized and information reliability is maximized.

Sources:

Davis, Robert E. IT Auditing: IT Service Delivery and Support. Mission Viejo, CA: Pleier Corporation, 2008. CD-ROM.

Watne, Donald A. and Peter B. B. Turney. Auditing EDP Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984. 6, 236-7, 467

Davis, Robert E. “IT Hardware Risks.” Suite101.com. Retrieved on 10/03/2010

Strangio, Christopher E. “Data Communications Basics: A Brief Introduction to Digital Transfer.” Camiresearch.com. Retrieved on 10/03/2010

“View Part I of the Data Communications Risk in Distributed Computing series here”

Post Note: “Data Communications Risk in Distributed Computing – Part V” was originally published through Suite101.com under the title “Data Communications Risk in Distributed Computing”

@TempleU News flash! Just received a Temple University appointment letter! As of 08/29/2012, I am the (First and Inaugural) CISA in Residence at Temple University! (Job Description Link: http://www.linkedin.com/in/havecisawilltravel)