Graphical tools for firewall configuration
Restricted Zone
© Photo by Mike Wilson on Unsplash.com
Setting up a comprehensive firewall with netfilter and iptables is complicated. Graphic user interfaces seek to take the worries out of this demanding task.
Firewalls under Linux are usually based on the kernel's netfilter system [1], which was introduced in 2001. Nftables [2] is about to replace this system, but until then, iptables [3] remains the configuration helper for the complicated netfilter system and is regarded as the default tool for Linux.
However, configuring iptables is not very intuitive. If you don't regularly use this process, you tend to forget quickly the necessary command-line parameters. Iptables does not make it easy for less experienced administrators to configure the firewall, so several distributions have their own tools. Because of this lack of intuitiveness, running the packet filter at the command line can quickly cause damage by user error.
For this reason, many firewalls now have graphical user interfaces (GUIs), which makes this somewhat cumbersome task easier. In this article, I review four such GUIs: firewalld [4], fwbuilder [5], Gufw [6], and Shorewall [7]. I also looked at the PeerGuardian [8] IP blocker, which is not a conventional firewall (see the "PeerGuardian" box). Not included in this review are configuration environments that are outdated (see the "Not in the Running" box).
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Nitrux 6.0 Now Ready to Rock Your World
The latest iteration of the Debian-based distribution includes all kinds of newness.
-
Linux Foundation Reports that Open Source Delivers Better ROI
In a report that may surprise no one in the Linux community, the Linux Foundation found that businesses are finding a 5X return on investment with open source software.
-
Keep Android Open
Google has announced that, soon, anyone looking to develop Android apps will have to first register centrally with Google.
-
Kernel 7.0 Now in Testing
Linus Torvalds has announced the first Release Candidate (RC) for the 7.x kernel is available for those who want to test it.
-
Introducing matrixOS, an Immutable Gentoo-Based Linux Distro
It was only a matter of time before a developer decided one of the most challenging Linux distributions needed to be immutable.
-
Chaos Comes to KDE in KaOS
KaOS devs are making a major change to the distribution, and it all comes down to one system.
-
New Linux Botnet Discovered
The SSHStalker botnet uses IRC C2 to control systems via legacy Linux kernel exploits.
-
The Next Linux Kernel Turns 7.0
Linus Torvalds has announced that after Linux kernel 6.19, we'll finally reach the 7.0 iteration stage.
-
Linux From Scratch Drops SysVinit Support
LFS will no longer support SysVinit.
-
LibreOffice 26.2 Now Available
With new features, improvements, and bug fixes, LibreOffice 26.2 delivers a modern, polished office suite without compromise.
