Iptables is the software firewall that is included with most Linux distributions by default.
When working with firewalls, take care not to lock yourself out of your own server by blocking SSH traffic (port 22, by default). If you lose access due to your firewall settings, you may need to connect to it via the console to fix your access. Once you are connected via the console, you can change your firewall rules to allow SSH access (or allow all traffic). If your saved firewall rules allow SSH access, another method is to reboot your server.
Saving and restoring iptables rules
The actual iptables rules are created and customized on the command line with the command iptables for IPv4 and ip6tables for IPv6.
These can be saved in a file with the command iptables-save for IPv4.
Debian/Ubuntu: iptables-save > /etc/iptables/rules.v4
RHEL/CentOS: iptables-save > /etc/sysconfig/iptables
These files can be loaded again with the command iptables-restore for IPv4.
Debian/Ubuntu: iptables-restore < /etc/iptables/rules.v4
RHEL/CentOS: iptables-restore < /etc/sysconfig/iptables
If you want to use IPv6 rules, these can be stored in a separate file.
Debian/Ubuntu: ip6tables-save > /etc/iptables/rules.v6
RHEL/CentOS: ip6tables-save > /etc/sysconfig/ip6tables
Automatic iptables rules loading
iptables-persistent for Debian/Ubuntu
Since Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid) and Debian 6 (Squeeze) there is a package with the name “iptables-persistent” which takes over the automatic loading of the saved iptables rules. To do this, the rules must be saved in the file /etc/iptables/rules.v4 for IPv4 and /etc/iptables/rules.v6 for IPv6.
For use, the package must simply be installed.
apt-get install iptables-persistent
If the installation fails, please check whether systemd has already had failures before the installation of iptables-persisent. Those systemd errors can cause the iptables-persistent installation to fail.
Older iptables-persistent versions (e.g. like those in Debian Squeeze) still do not support IPv6 rules. There is only one file with the name /etc/iptables/rules for IPv4. Check the Init-Script for which files are loaded in your iptables-persistent version.
Please check that your rules are loaded as desired following the first reboot after configuration.
iptables Service for RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and CentOS
RHEL/CentOS also offer simple methods to permanently save iptables rules for IPv4 and IPv6.
There is a service called “iptables”. This must be enabled.
chkconfig --list | grep iptables iptables 0:off 1:off 2:on 3:on 4:on 5:on 6:offchkconfig iptables on
The rules are saved in the file /etc/sysconfig/iptables for IPv4 and in the file /etc/sysconfig/ip6tables for IPv6. You may also use the init script in order to save the current rules.
service iptables save
Please check that your rules are loaded as desired following the first reboot after configuration.
Listing Rules
Current running iptables Rules can be viewed with the command:
iptables -L
Service: SSH
If you’re using a cloud server, you will probably want to allow incoming SSH connections (port 22) so you can connect to and manage your server. This section covers how to configure your firewall with various SSH-related rules.
Allow All Incoming SSH
To allow all incoming SSH connections run these commands:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -m conntrack --ctstate NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPTsudo iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --sport 22 -m conntrack --ctstate ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
The second command, which allows the outgoing traffic of established SSH connections, is only necessary if the OUTPUT policy is not set to ACCEPT.
Allow Incoming SSH from Specific IP address or subnet
To allow incoming SSH connections from a specific IP address or subnet, specify the source. For example, if you want to allow the entire 15.15.15.0/24 subnet, run these commands:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -s 15.15.15.0/24 --dport 22 -m conntrack --ctstate NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPTsudo iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --sport 22 -m conntrack --ctstate ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
The second command, which allows the outgoing traffic of established SSH connections, is only necessary if the OUTPUT policy is not set to ACCEPT.
Allow Outgoing SSH
If your firewall OUTPUT policy is not set to ACCEPT, and you want to allow outgoing SSH connections—your server initiating an SSH connection to another server—you can run these commands:
sudo iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -m conntrack --ctstate NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPTsudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --sport 22 -m conntrack --ctstate ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
Appending Rules
The following adds a Rule at the end of the specified chain of iptables:
[root@server ~]# iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT[root@server ~]# iptables -LChain INPUT (policy DROP)target prot opt source destinationACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhere state RELATED,ESTABLISHEDACCEPT icmp -- anywhere anywhereACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhere ACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere state NEW tcp dpt:sshACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere tcp dpt:httpChain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)target prot opt source destinationChain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)target prot opt source destination
Notice the last line in chain INPUT. There are now five Rules in that chain.
Deleting Rules
To delete a Rule, you must know its position in the chain. The following example deletes an existing Rule created earlier that is currently in the fifth position:
[root@server ~]# iptables -D INPUT 5[root@server ~]# iptables -LChain INPUT (policy DROP)target prot opt source destinationACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhere state RELATED,ESTABLISHEDACCEPT icmp -- anywhere anywhereACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhereACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere state NEW tcp dpt:sshChain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)target prot opt source destinationChain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)target prot opt source destination
Inserting Rules
Create a Rule at the top (first) position:
[root@server ~]# iptables -I INPUT 1 -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT[root@server ~]# iptables -LChain INPUT (policy DROP)target prot opt source destinationACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere tcp dpt:httpACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhere state RELATED,ESTABLISHEDACCEPT icmp -- anywhere anywhereACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhereACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere state NEW tcp dpt:sshChain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)target prot opt source destination Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)mtarget prot opt source destination
The number given after the chain name indicates the position before an existing Rule. So, for example, if you want to insert a Rule before the third rule you specify the number 3. Afterward, the existing Rule will then be in the fourth position in the chain.
Replacing Rules
Rules may be specified to replace existing Rules in the chain.
In the example shown previously, the first Rule given allows connections to the HTTP port (port 80) from anywhere. The following replaces this Rule, restricting connections to the standard HTTP port (port 80) only from the network address range 192.168.0.0/24:
[root@server ~]# iptables -R INPUT 1 -p tcp -s 192.168.0.0/24 --dport 80 -j ACCEPT[root@server ~]# iptables -LChain INPUT (policy DROP)target prot opt source destinationACCEPT tcp -- 192.168.0.0/24 anywhere tcp dpt:httpACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhere state RELATED,ESTABLISHEDACCEPT icmp -- anywhere anywhereACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhereACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere state NEW tcp dpt:sshChain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)target prot opt source destinationChain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)target prot opt source destination
