Introduction
IPFire is designed to be secure by default, however it can be further hardened so that it is even more difficult to attack. Hardening includes;
Implementation Scale
This guide uses two scales:
| | | |
|---|
| Impact (security benefit) | A. MAJOR | B. SIGNIFICANT | C. MINOR |
| Effort (to implement) | 1. LOW | 2. MEDIUM | 3. HIGH |
Scale examples
For example, items which are categorized:
| Impact | Effort |
|---|
| A. MAJOR | 1. LOW |
are highly recommended, as they are both easy to implement and have a high security benefit.
While items which are:
| Impact | Effort |
|---|
| C. MINOR | 3. HIGH |
will be helpful, but need only done for a high-risk environment or if you are a bit paranoid!
Links
--Next Page: Good Security Practice
FAQs
Operating system hardening
Apply necessary updates and patches automatically. Remove unnecessary files, libraries, drivers, and functionality. Log all activity, errors, and warnings. Set user permissions and group policies. Configure file system and registry permissions.
How to secure IPFire? ›
Use public key authentication for SSH
- Configure IPFire to only allow public key based authentication.
- Use an SSH key with a strong passphrase, so that if somebody gets access to your account (or discovers your password) they cannot connect to IPFire.
Although the base system of IPFire requires only a couple of hundreds of megabytes for program data, the minimum amount of storage is 2GB. The developers recommend at least 4GB for log files and add-on packages. IPFire supports drives of 3 TB and larger with IDE, SATA and SCSI.
Is IPFire a good firewall? ›
For BSD enthusiasts, OPNSense might be preferable, while Linux users will find IPFire more aligned with their preferences. Designed for reliability within its intended use, IPFire excels as a secure firewall that effectively segregates private networks from the broader internet.
What are the 5 C's in security? ›
Change, Compliance, Cost, Continuity, and Coverage; these are all fundamental considerations for an organization. For anyone challenged with evaluating and implementing technical solutions, these factors provide a useful lens through which to assess available options.
How to do security hardening? ›
This process includes removing unnecessary software, disabling unused services, applying security patches, and configuring settings to enhance protection. By minimizing potential entry points for attackers, hardening makes it more difficult for unauthorized access to occur.
What type of firewall is IPFire? ›
Stateful Inspection Firewall
IPFire employs a Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall. That means that the firewall internally stores information about every connection and is then able to associate every packet that transits the firewall to the connection it belongs to.
What is the default firewall rule in IPFire? ›
The default value for the "Forward Firewall" is "Allowed". This means, in general, that any network packet is allowed to be forwarded to another network zone unless there is an existing rule preventing it.
How do I install and configure IPFire? ›
Installation
- Step 1: Check the prerequisites.
- Step 2: Prepare the installation media.
- Step 3: Run the installer.
- Step 4: Initial setup.
- Step 5: Network Setup.
- Step 6: Internet Connection Setup.
- Step 7: What's next?
- Serial Console.
The IPFire Web User Interface, also known as the WebGUI, is the front end to configure IPFire. It provides an easy way to access all settings, install and configure add-ons, and view logs as well as graphical reports.
IPFire is a hardened open source Linux distribution that primarily performs as a router and a firewall; a standalone firewall system with a web-based management console for configuration.
What are the specs of IPFire? ›
Requirements (Recommended)
| Processor | x86_64 or ARM64 CPU with 1 GHz or better or a supported ARM SBC |
| Memory | 1GB or greater |
| Storage | at least 4GB of disk storage |
| Network | at least two Ethernet network adapters |
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The differences between IPFire and pfSense are outlined below: Both can effectively achieve the same thing, although IPFire is more user-friendly. There are more features in pfSense. IPFire is a simple firewall, but the capabilities it does include are stable and well-tested.
What is the most deployed firewall in the world? ›
FortiGate is the most deployed network firewall with over 50% of global market share.
What are the advantages of IPFire? ›
It is secure, fast and very versatile. Besides from being a stateful inspection firewall it can work as a VPN gateway, analyze data packets with its Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), and comes with many Add-ons that extend its functionality further.
What is harden in security? ›
Definitions: A process intended to eliminate a means of attack by patching vulnerabilities and turning off nonessential services.
What is security configuration checklist? ›
A security configuration checklist is a document that contains instructions or procedures for configuring an information technology (IT) product to an operational environment, for verifying that the product has been configured properly, and/or for identifying unauthorized changes to the product.
What is the NIST hardening process? ›
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines "hardening" as a process used to patch vulnerabilities or turn off non-essential services. With hardening, your business can eliminate cybercrime attack vectors and unnecessary server processes.
What are hardening guidelines? ›
A hardening standard is used to set a baseline of requirements for each system. As each new system is introduced to the environment, it must abide by the hardening standard. There are several industry standards that provide benchmarks for various operating systems and applications, such as CIS.
