The internet depends on thousands of interconnected networks exchanging routing information every second. This process is managed through the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which helps internet traffic find the best path between networks. While BGP is essential for global connectivity, it was not originally designed with built-in security mechanisms. As a result, routing mistakes and malicious route hijacking incidents can occur.

To address these challenges, network operators worldwide are increasingly adopting Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI). RPKI helps verify the legitimacy of BGP route announcements, making internet routing more secure and reliable.

What is RPKI?

Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) is a framework that enables network operators to verify whether an Autonomous System (AS) is authorized to announce specific IP address prefixes.

RPKI uses digital certificates known as Route Origin Authorizations (ROAs). These certificates specify which Autonomous System Number (ASN) is permitted to advertise a particular IP prefix.

When a router receives a BGP route announcement, it can validate the announcement against available RPKI data and classify it as:

• Valid – The route originates from an authorized ASN.
• Invalid – The route originates from an unauthorized ASN.
• Not Found – No RPKI information is available for that route.

This validation process helps networks make more informed routing decisions and improves the overall security of internet routing.

Why is BGP Route Hijacking a Concern?

BGP was built on trust. Traditionally, routers accept route announcements from neighboring networks without verifying whether the originating network is actually authorized to advertise those routes.

This creates opportunities for route hijacking and route leaks.

A route hijack occurs when a network announces IP prefixes that it does not own or control. These incidents may result from configuration errors or deliberate malicious activity.

The consequences can include:

• Traffic being redirected through unintended networks
• Service disruptions and outages
• Increased latency and degraded performance
• Loss of access to websites and online services
• Potential exposure of sensitive traffic
• Reduced trust in network operations

As networks continue to grow in size and complexity, preventing these routing incidents has become increasingly important.

How RPKI Prevents Route Hijacking

Without RPKI validation, routers typically rely on BGP announcements received from peers and upstream providers. If an unauthorized network advertises a more specific route, some routers may mistakenly prefer that route.

For example:

• AS65001 legitimately owns 10.0.0.0/23
• Another ASN announces 10.0.0.0/24 and 10.0.1.0/24
• Some networks may accept the more specific announcements and redirect traffic incorrectly
  
  

With RPKI in place, routers can verify whether the announcing ASN has authorization through a valid ROA.

If the route does not match the authorized ASN and prefix combination, it can be marked as invalid and rejected according to routing policies.

This helps prevent unauthorized route advertisements from influencing traffic flow across the internet.

Benefits of RPKI for Network Operators

Improved Routing Security

RPKI provides a trusted mechanism for validating route origins before routes are accepted into the routing table. This significantly reduces the risk of route hijacking and unauthorized route announcements.

Better Network Reliability

Invalid route advertisements can lead to outages and connectivity issues. By filtering invalid routes, operators can improve routing stability and maintain more consistent service delivery.

Protection Against Operational Errors

Not all routing incidents are malicious. Simple configuration mistakes can accidentally affect large portions of the internet. RPKI helps reduce the impact of these errors by validating route advertisements before they are accepted.

Increased Customer Confidence

Reliable connectivity is critical for businesses and end users. Implementing routing security measures demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a secure and dependable network.

Alignment with Industry Best Practices

Major internet service providers, cloud platforms, content delivery networks, internet exchanges, and enterprise networks increasingly support RPKI validation. Adopting RPKI aligns network operations with modern routing security standards.

Key Components of an RPKI Deployment

A typical RPKI deployment includes several components:

Route Origin Authorizations (ROAs)

ROAs define which ASN is authorized to advertise a specific IP prefix.

RPKI Repositories

These repositories store certificates and ROAs that can be accessed and validated by network operators.

RPKI Validators

Validators retrieve and verify RPKI data from trusted repositories and provide validation results to routers.

Router Validation Policies

Routers use validation information to classify routes and apply routing policies based on whether routes are valid, invalid, or not found.

Together, these components create a framework that strengthens the trustworthiness of BGP routing information.

Steps to Implement RPKI

Organizations planning to deploy RPKI can follow these general steps:

1. Create ROAs

Generate Route Origin Authorizations for owned IP prefixes through the appropriate Regional Internet Registry (RIR).

2. Deploy an RPKI Validator

Install and configure an RPKI validator to retrieve and verify certificate information.

3. Connect Routers to the Validator

Configure routers to receive route validation information from the validator.

4. Define Validation Policies

Establish routing policies for handling valid, invalid, and not-found routes.

5. Monitor and Maintain

Regularly review ROAs, routing policies, and validation status to ensure ongoing accuracy and protection.

The Growing Importance of Routing Security

As cloud services, broadband networks, enterprise connectivity, and internet infrastructure continue to expand, routing security is becoming a critical operational requirement.

RPKI provides a practical and effective method for improving trust in BGP route announcements. By validating route origins, network operators can reduce the risk of route hijacking, improve network reliability, and contribute to a more secure internet ecosystem.

While RPKI does not eliminate every routing threat, it represents one of the most important advancements in BGP security and is increasingly viewed as a foundational best practice for modern network operations.

Strengthen Your Network Operations with Jaze Networks

Secure routing is only one part of building a reliable network. Network operators also need efficient tools for subscriber management, service provisioning, monitoring, and operational visibility.

Jaze Networks provides solutions designed to help ISPs and network operators simplify operations, improve service delivery, and manage growing network infrastructure more effectively.

Whether you’re expanding your network or modernizing existing operations, Jaze Networks can help you build a more efficient and resilient network environment. Contact us today to learn more about our ISP management and network solutions.