RE: Dumb newbie question

["Loomis, Rip" <GILBERT.R.LOOMIS () saic com>]

I saw several other responses, but I think that they were
all missing some critical points.
 
> I'm just getting into [Debian] Linux and iptables - a definite
> newbie! [...] My question is, where is the rule script stored?
> I want to start trying my own rules but I don't know where the
> file is to modify. 

You've self-assessed as a newbie, but you want to start "trying
your own rules".  Rather than starting by doing iptables rules
directly, I'd recommend that you look at installing a package
that will allow you to specify rules using a syntax that's easier
to comprehend--I've had good results with the "shorewall"
package, but there are other good ones out there.

If you're really interested in security, then installing such
a package (combined with R its FM) will make it easier to construct
a rule set that makes sense.  In my experience, teaching myself
a packet filter by grabbing random rules off webpages and
trying to make soup out of them can have...interesting...results.

YMMV, of course--but based on your self-assessment I wouldn't
recommend just mucking with iptables rules directly.  Not saying
it won't work, but you'd learn more quickly by letting a firewall
package construct a ruleset for you and then going back and
looking at  the rules it put together and figuring out what each
rule does.

--
Rip Loomis - SAIC
Brainbench MVP for Internet Security
_______________________________________________
firewall-wizards mailing list
firewall-wizards () honor icsalabs com
http://honor.icsalabs.com/mailman/listinfo/firewall-wizards