Just thought you would like to know this is not just an Intel issue.

http://foxnews.com/js_index.sml?content=/video/netshow.sml

(Reprinted for Educational purposes only)

By Ted Bridis, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)  A proposal to improve the way information flows across the Internet is drawing attention from privacy advocates, who worry its design could be used to trace a sender's identity.

Engineers creating a new Internet address system are proposing to include a unique serial number from each personal computer within every parcel of data. That could vastly simplify the sometimes befuddling job of setting up computers so they can talk to each other on a network.

But critics warn that, if adopted, the move could potentially strip away a measure of anonymity and security enjoyed by tens of millions of home computer users who dial into America Online Inc. and other Internet providers over traditional telephone lines.

The issue also illustrates the risks of unintended consequences over arcane design decisions aimed at ensuring the stability of the Internet into the 21st century despite its extraordinary growth.

The proposal by the Internet Engineering Task Force, an international standards body, would include the unique serial number for each computer's network connection hardware as part of its expanded new Internet protocol address.

These "IP'' addresses, planted within e-mails and all other information flowing across the Internet, must be as unique as telephone numbers to distinguish each computer on the global network and to guide the billions of bits and bytes flowing among them.

The IETF's top engineers acknowledge some implications for online privacy, but, "I think the privacy concerns are overrated,'' said Fred Baker, the task force's chairman.

However, some privacy experts said they were appalled that IETF engineers would consider the idea. The new address system, called "IPv6,'' would not become widely used for years but ultimately would affect every Internet user.

Critics warned that commercial Internet sites, which already routinely record IP addresses, could begin to correlate these embedded serial numbers against a consumer's name, address and other personal details, from clothing size to political affiliation.

The task force itself will ultimately decide whether to include the identifying numbers in the new IP addresses. The timing on that decision is unclear.

Baker said the task force also envisions alternate ways to configure Internet devices so addresses won't contain the sensitive numbers.

"Those folks concerned about the privacy issue could use this (alternate) technique,'' said Thomas Narten, an IBM software engineer working with the IETF.

Most home computer users currently are assigned a different IP address each time they connect to the Internet through a telephone line, which affords some extra security and anonymity. It's akin to a person using a different phone number every day to shield his identity and avoid prank phone calls.

But under the IETF proposal, a portion of even those somewhat randomly assigned addresses could include the consumer's unique serial number  and that information would be stamped on every piece of information sent from his computer.

The danger worsens, critics warn, as Internet sites are expected to begin to share information about their customers: A consumer visiting a Web site for the first time could be identified by his computer's serial number that had been recorded at another site.

"There's no doubt there are serious privacy concerns,'' said Marc Rotenberg of the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center.

Baker and others said the plan is meant to simplify configuring these new types of addresses. The IETF's Scott Bradner said engineers wanted an easy method for even less sophisticated consumers to hook up computers to a network and share information.

-- Tommy Rogers (Been there@Just a Thought.com), October 12, 1999

Answers

When they move the "IP" address standard to "IP" address v6, I just hope that the released version is not "IP" version 6.66

-- Joe Martin (nospam@nospam.com), October 12, 1999.