PRODUCT UPDATE: De-anonymizing IPv6

Tracy Hensley

Hey RevHeads! Check out our latest update below: 

Online identifiers are at the heart of everything ABM. It is the only way to identify online users, build the right segments, and gather the right analytics for optimal targeting capabilities! With the privacy and security landscape ever changing in favor of securing one's identity, deanonymization gets that much harder. This is a welcomed change and challenge as 6sense firmly believes in maintaining individual privacy and loves any chance to innovate! As such, we are venturing beyond the industry standard identifiers of IPv4 and cookies and bravely into the relatively unknown world of IPv6 as our next online identifier.   

What Is IPv6 & Why Is It Needed? 

Simply put IPv6 (IP address version 6) is the latest version of the IP address following IPv4 for my tech nerds! IPv6 came out of the need for more addresses and security. 

More Addresses, Please! 

Think of IPv4 as a postal system. There are only so many addresses that can be handed out and delivered to as spaces on this plant are finite. Similarly, only so many devices could be online because the number of IPv4 addresses available are finite (4.3 billion addresses). As more devices started coming online there was a need for more addresses. Now, think of IPv6 as an email system. Just as an individual can have several email addresses an individual can get an IPv6 address for each of their devices (laptop, cell phone, table, tv, watch, fridge, etc.). The IPv6 address space is 2^128, or 340 trillion trillion trillion. 

The More Secure, The Merrier! 

Continuing on with the Postal (IPv4) vs. Email (IPv6) analogy there needed a way to ensure privacy and security when sending mail (connecting to the internet). A device, much like a home, is allocated a single IPv4 address. Thus, IPv6 was created to rotate addresses frequently among online devices so that individuals cannot be identified and tracked across the web. 

6sense & IPv6  

6sense now has the ability to de-anonymize IPv6 addresses, but we do not identify the individual (John Smith, Jane Doe, etc.). Instead, 6sense identifies the company with which the IP is associated (6sense, Dell, etc). This allows 6sense to remain compliant with applicable data privacy laws while providing our customer base with the information needed to continue being successful on their ABM journey. 

  So… How well can you de-anonymize IPv6? 

Since our 6signal graph is predictive (not deterministic), we have strategically chosen to be first to market to give ourselves ample time to train our models and optimize our company matches. So far, our coverage and accuracy are looking good! Nevertheless, we will continually adjust our parameters and mappings with respect to the activity seen to learn the balance required between speed and accuracy. This real-world experience will help us train our models to ensure the appropriate quality and volumetric threshold for activities needed to adjust a mapping to the optimal company match. 

  Where do I sign up to get my IPv6 traffic de-anonymized? 

No sign up required! By being a 6sense customer, you have access to this capability. 

If you have questions, please drop them below or you can reach out to your CSM! Thank you! 

Nick Sal

Glad to see 6sense keeping on the cutting edge and maintaining access to valuable data, even as the technology and legal landscape evolves. Thank you for all you do! 💪