IpToCountry.dat - Version 32769 (draft-linda-itcdat-ipv6-00)
============================================================

Introduction
------------

This document specifies a new GeoIP6 section for IPv6 support to
IpToCountry.dat as an update to version 3 of the IpToCountry.dat specification.

Main file structure version
---------------------------

Experimental IpToCountry.dat files conforming to this draft specification MAY
use Version integer value 32769 to indicate and test support and backwards
compatibility for IPv6 for development.

  Field    | Size      | Description
  -----------------------------------
  Version  | USHORT    | Integer value 32769.

Updates to lede and legend
--------------------------

The lede is updated to be agnostic to IP version.

  IpToCountry.dat is a binary file that holds information that can match
  IP addresses to geographical locations. [...]

The definition of GeoID is updated to be agnostic to IP version.

  GeoID - a geographical or political entity that can be recognized
          as having a set of IP addresses assigned to it

Update to section
-----------------

A new Type value '3' is proposed to be introduced as a valid section for IPv6
support.

  Field    | Size      | Description
  -----------------------------------
  Type     | BYTE      | 0 for Licence, 1 for GeoIP, 2 for URL, 3 for GeoIP6.

GeoIP6 section
--------------

Generally speaking, the GeoIP section structure is to be copied 1:1, except
instead of IPv4 addresses, the documentation and valid accepted data will be
IPv6 addresses instead.

Standards body considerations
-----------------------------

The newly defined GeoIP6 section SHOULD be registered in a registry with a new
Type value and pointed to this specification. The version number 32769 SHOULD
be pointed in a registry to this document.

(In lieu of an agreed standards body and rules for governance of said standards
body, the author suggests this document's standardization MAY be governed by
Zalewa and Blzut3 for their previous maintainership and origins of Doomseeker
and version 3 of the IpToCountry.dat specification, until such standards body,
its members and governance are initially formed and agreed upon by an election
vote process and discussion.)

Code considerations
-------------------

Type '3' MAY NOT be generally relied upon to be a GeoIP6 section (unless the
Version integer is also 32769), until this draft has been standardized,
although there are no known conflicts at this time. An alternative would be to
reserve Type '255' for experimental features and testing. This draft does not
make the reservation.

Security considerations
-----------------------

This specification adds support for displaying geodata from a database for IPv6
addresses. If the IP2C database contains geodata more precise than an IPv6 /48
address block of an individual user (in RIPE NCC terms, the address block is an
ASSIGNED PA or ASSIGNED PI allocation and not AGGREGATED-BY-LIR), such
information could constitute personal data in the European Union under data
protection regulation and expose greater detail about an individual's location
by server in the Doomseeker's user interface. This behavior may be unwanted.

Authors
=======

This document was authored and edited by Linda Lapinlampi.

Copyright
=========

Copyright (C) 2022 Linda Lapinlampi <linda@lindalap.fi>

Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
notice and this notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is,
without any warranty.