iptables file format

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.security.firewalls (More info?)

Using RH-E-WS-3, where can I get a description of the
iptables file format? I have read numerous things
about it, but there are still lines that are not
explained.

Thanks,
Mike.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.security.firewalls (More info?)

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 07:20:25 -0400, Mike - EMAIL IGNORED wrote:
> Using RH-E-WS-3, where can I get a description of the
> iptables file format? I have read numerous things
> about it, but there are still lines that are not
> explained.

The best answer (as I don't know exactly what version of iptables
you've got) will probably be from your man pages (man iptables).

RedHat seems to have extensive online documentation, specificly
have a look at http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/ . For a more
general reference, google for 'iptables how-to'.

(or paste the lines you don't understand here, and let us have a
look at them)


- Eirik
--
New and exciting signature!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.security.firewalls (More info?)

Mike - EMAIL IGNORED wrote:

> Using RH-E-WS-3, where can I get a description of the
> iptables file format?

Usually iptables commands are put together in some (bash) shell script,
which is just an ascii text file.

> I have read numerous things
> about it, but there are still lines that are not
> explained.

man iptables
http://www.iptables.org/documentation/

Wolfgang
--
A foreign body and a foreign mind
never welcome in the land of the blind
Peter Gabriel, Not one of us, 1980

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.security.firewalls (More info?)

Wolfgang Kueter wrote:
>
> Mike - EMAIL IGNORED wrote:
>
> > Using RH-E-WS-3, where can I get a description of the
> > iptables file format?
>
> Usually iptables commands are put together in some (bash) shell script,
> which is just an ascii text file.
>
> > I have read numerous things
> > about it, but there are still lines that are not
> > explained.
>
> man iptables
> http://www.iptables.org/documentation/
>
> Wolfgang
As far as I can tell, the man pages do not deal with my question.
I am not asking how to use iptables. I am asking what the lines
in the iptables mean. For example, the first two lines in the file
generated by RH are:
*filter
:INPUT[0,0]
A few questions:
What is the '*' for?
What is the *filter line for?
What does the colon mean?
What does the [0,0] mean?
What is the :INPUT[0,0] line for?
And this is just the first two lines. Is there a document that
describes the format?

Thanks,
Mike.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.security.firewalls (More info?)

On 2004-06-22, Mike - EMAIL IGNORED <m_d_beger_1900@yahoo.com> wrote:
> And this is just the first two lines. Is there a document that
> describes the format?

http://www.faqs.org/docs/iptables/iptables-save.html

--
--Tim Smith

 

[Erik]

Archived from groups: comp.security.firewalls (More info?)

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 21:07:26 -0400, the right honourable Mike - EMAIL
IGNORED <m_d_beger_1900@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>
>Wolfgang Kueter wrote:
>>
>> Mike - EMAIL IGNORED wrote:
>>
>> > Using RH-E-WS-3, where can I get a description of the
>> > iptables file format?
>>
>> Usually iptables commands are put together in some (bash) shell script,
>> which is just an ascii text file.
>>
>> > I have read numerous things
>> > about it, but there are still lines that are not
>> > explained.
>>
>> man iptables
>> http://www.iptables.org/documentation/
>>
>> Wolfgang
>As far as I can tell, the man pages do not deal with my question.
>I am not asking how to use iptables. I am asking what the lines
>in the iptables mean. For example, the first two lines in the file
>generated by RH are:
> *filter
> :INPUT[0,0]
>A few questions:
> What is the '*' for?
> What is the *filter line for?
> What does the colon mean?
> What does the [0,0] mean?
> What is the :INPUT[0,0] line for?
>And this is just the first two lines. Is there a document that
>describes the format?
>
>Thanks,
>Mike.


I don't think you want to know about these lines you are referring to.

They are a sort of compilation of the rules you write in a BASH
script, like

#!/bin/bash
iptables -t nat -P PREROUTING DROP
iptables -t nat -P POSTROUTING DROP
iptables -t nat -P OUTPUT DROP
iptables -t nat -F

etc...

When starting iptables, you execute this bash script.
after that, you can do iptables-save to save your rules in a compiled
fashion that will load quicker later , with iptables-restore.

you find the docs here:

http://www.netfilter.org/documentation/index.html#documentation-howto

Erik