Security Basics mailing list archives
RE: Firewall options- which way to go
From: "Burton M. Strauss III" <bstrauss3 () attbi com>
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 16:19:04 -0500
If all you want it to be, you're better off with a firewall-specific distribution. Two reasons... 1) the developers tend to focus on the firewall aspects, it's not an add-on among 1000s of packages and services and 2) (very important, IMHO) it's a perfect defense against overloading the "available" Linux box with a lot of other services that might weaken it's defenses... "Nope, sorry, can't do, it only works as a firewall. However, if you want a xxxx server, I'll be happy to build another Linux box and set it up in the (LAN | DMZ) for you" I prefer the iptables approach - there are a lot more things you can do (such as rate limiting, etc.) And, re your Q3, if it's a purpose oriented distro, then you typically get much better how to docs. -----Burton -----Original Message----- From: Leon Pholi [mailto:L.Pholi () secureinteractive com] Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2002 7:33 PM To: security-basics () securityfocus com Subject: Firewall options- which way to go -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi, I am looking at options for setting up a Linux firewall for our company. Although I am a relative newbie to Linux, I'm not afraid to get my 'hands dirty' with IPTables etc. I have a couple of questions and would appreciate all comments. 1) Is it better to use a purpose built distribution such as Smoothwall, IPCop or firewall specific ones from Redhat, Mandrake, SuSE etc, or, would it be better to use a standard distro & built it from scratch (bearing in mind I haven't yet recompiled a kernel but I'm willing to give that a go too)? 2) If building from scratch, kernel version 2.4 supports both ipchains & iptables (newer)- does anyone have a strong view on using one over the other? If using a purpose built one, does anyone have any experienced based preferences? 3) Other than just suggesting to do a google search, are there any resources (a simple step by step howto would be good) you would recommend for the suggested approach? All help greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Leon -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP 7.0.4 iQA/AwUBPaoQ+23X5duwk+XvEQKyUQCfcI+YuA2CoEgTKPdMkacPHhc0MWQAoKid reavCfqXEnT7pygVQ+8nO9P4 =kL3I -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
Current thread:
- WIRELESS THEFT, (continued)
- WIRELESS THEFT Amit P. Gandre (Oct 16)
- RE: WIRELESS THEFT Greg van der Gaast (Oct 17)
- R: WIRELESS THEFT Alessandro Bottonelli (Oct 17)
- Re: WIRELESS THEFT Johannes Ullrich (Oct 17)
- Re: WIRELESS THEFT Ric Pa (Oct 17)
- RE: WIRELESS THEFT John Dillingham (Oct 17)
- Re: WIRELESS THEFT Robert J. Young (Oct 18)
- RE: WIRELESS THEFT Clint Harris (Oct 22)
- Re: WIRELESS THEFT Didier Brems (Oct 24)
- Re: Firewall options- which way to go Steve Bremer (Oct 16)
- RE: Firewall options- which way to go Burton M. Strauss III (Oct 16)
- Can't Resolve from behind firewall Ahmed.Shazly (Oct 17)
- Re: Can't Resolve from behind firewall Johan De Meersman (Oct 18)
- RE: Firewall options- which way to go Arjen De Landgraaf (Oct 16)
- RE: Firewall options- which way to go Trevor Cushen (Oct 17)
- RE: Firewall options- which way to go Leon Pholi (Oct 21)
- WIRELESS THEFT Amit P. Gandre (Oct 16)