homecomputeraid Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 I just heard from Twit Security Now! Podcast Episode 4 with Steve Gibson that there's a free, easy to configure linux based home firewall available. I've just downloaded it and am trying it for the first time myself. I hope it's a good one, but I trust Steve enough to put it up here before extensively testing it myself. It could be an inexpensive way for a home user to set up a DMZ! You would only have to by two additional Network Interface Cards which aren't very expensive.Smoothwall, as it's called is available for free download here.I'll let you know how it works for me, and please provide feedback if you decide to give it a go.Bear in mind, that as far as I can tell, this firewall is a complete Operating System. I do not recommend trying to add it to a computer for use as a firewall like ZoneAlarm (I don't even think it's possible to do so). This is for using a computer (maybe a spare one or an older one you bought at a reseller of old computer stuff) as a dedicated firewall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuzzman Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 This is a complete Linux distribution. It's fully configurable through a web browser and makes an incredible router and NAT firewall with SPI. You need to install it on an extra PC (though this PC can have a 33MHz proc and 32 MB RAM) and it will run remarkably well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Way ahead of ya! You listen to Twit as well then HC? I listen to that as well as Security Now as well. Did you listen to last Thursdays episode on hamachi ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homecomputeraid Posted December 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 You listen to Twit as well then HC?I just found out about Twit Chris. I'm going through them one episode at a time working from the oldest up, so I haven't heard the latest yet. I don't even remember how I heard about it. I have great respect for Steve Gibson, and I like the way he presents what he knows. It's also great that he finds a problem that needs fixing, digs into it and writes a program that solves the problem, then usually makes it available for free and tries to get the vendor to patch the product.I do disagree with him about using straight NAT as a firewall though. It's quite effective until you make a 'hole' in the firewall for something like a game server, then SPI becomes much more effective at evaluating traffic, and the price difference is so low as to negate any benefit to buying a straight NAT router.I've also read that NAT can be bypassed much more easily than SPI. I'm not sure whether that's actually true in practice or just 'propaganda'. Thanks for the feedback Scuzzman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homecomputeraid Posted December 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2005 I've been putting SmoothWall through its paces and it looks great! I've installed and configured Corporate Firewalls that cost many thousands of dollars that weren't as polished and functional as this one! I'm using it in an 'inside' subnet, behind my primary firewall for the time being because I'm sending my log files to DShield which in turn keeps the SANS Institutes Internet Storm Center's Survival Time statistics more accurate. I don't think there's a DShield log parser for SmoothWall yet. [edit]There is one! :biggrin: I just send the SmoothWall logs to my Kiwi Syslog Daemon like I'm doing with my other firewall!Joining the cause through DShield also gives the added benefit of having your firewall logs parsed and made a bit easier to read. If you join, as a free service, they'll display your logs in more plain english than you'll probably get out of your firewall directly, and present you with graphical representations of any attacks on you network. They will also, with your permission if you join Fightback, forward your logs to the ISP's of the attackers getting them shut down! Wanna see if you've been hacked? A good indication that you may have been is if your IP shows up in their database. This would indicate that you have a Trojan that's being used to attack others. If you want to check out "Are you cracked? Click here to see." Of course, this isn't definitive. You could be hacked by something that doesn't show up on DShield's radar, but if you are on there, break out the Antivirus and Antispyware!Perhaps I should make a separate post on DShield? [edit]I made a separate post for this here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.