MANRS Primer: ISPs
Better MANRS for Internet Service Providers
Information for network operators and ISP managers
It can be challenging for ISPs to differentiate themselves in the market. To move the decision point beyond price alone, providers need identifiable, value-added services that align with their customers’ values.
Enterprises value security, so security-conscious ISPs can significantly impact customer procurement and decision processes by communicating their commitment to protecting their customers’ business. Becoming a Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS) participant provides a mark of security proficiency and community involvement and can add competitive value while also enhancing the ISP’s operational effectiveness.
Enterprise Value
An independent study by 451 Research, commissioned by the Internet Society, found that:
- 94% of enterprises would be willing to pay more for a vendor who is a MANRS participant.
- 97% of enterprises were interested in putting MANRS participation in RFP and tender requirements.
MANRS participation conveys a set of benefits for ISPs, including improved competitive positioning in the RFP and tender process, increased customer retention, and lower churn.
Reducing Downtime, Reputational Risk
In 2022, there were a total of 2,500 major network incidents that involved Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) related attacks. These incidents can:
- Strain infrastructure
- Result in dropped traffic
- Allow unauthorized traffic inspection
- Lead to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks
ISPs that are MANRS-compliant greatly improve Internet security and reliability by implementing four simple actions.
By establishing better communication paths with their peers and identifying problems with clients and peers earlier, ISPs improve their operational efficiency and contribute to the overall security of the Internet.
Differentiate From the Competition
ISPs can display their commitment to routing security and leverage the value that enterprise customers place on MANRS participation by:
- Including MANRS actions and participation in proposals
- Explaining MANRS actions and their value to customers
- Offering value-added services
For example, information from anti-spoofing controls that log activity can be included in periodic reports for customers. These reports can be part of an intelligence feed that alerts customers to misconfigurations or potential attacks. This type of service can be inexpensive to operate, if appropriately automated, provide additional customer binding, and generate revenue.
Join MANRS
The MANRS actions are a useful guide to increasing operational efficiency while contributing to a safe and secure Internet for all. The combination of customer impact and internal benefit should be sufficient motivation for ISPs to become part of this growing community of over 1,000 organizations committed to improving routing security.