Need help with firewall please

**tarbz** · 08-08-2005

I just recently installed firestater, and would like to know how to go about Un-installing it.

Rumor has it that Guard dog is a better firewall more user friendly, and has more options then firestarter, so I'd like to see if that rumor is true and give guard dog a try (only If guard dog is apt-get able), The only problem is that I don't know if having two firewalls will conflict with one another or hog resources, also, I don't know the command to Un-install Firestarter as well as all the extras that may have came with it. (I am using Sarge, Debian the latest release stable.)

Any info on how to Un- install firestarter will be appreciated

**DoctorDan** · 08-08-2005

apt-get remove firestarter (or whatever its package name is) should uninstall it

**tarbz** · 08-08-2005

Thanks !
I'm somewhat new to Linux and hate doing anything as root without knowing exactly what I am doing

**junkman4547** · 08-08-2005

You can apt-get guarddog, I'm running guarddog right now.

**DoctorDan** · 08-08-2005

Originally Posted by tarbz

Thanks !
I'm somewhat new to Linux and hate doing anything as root without knowing exactly what I am doing

np man. i'm also quite new, so it feels good to be able to help. apt-get remove will work for any package you have apt-getted

**alain_** · 08-08-2005

if you don't have a (web)server, there is no need for a firewall,
just shut down all services you don't *really* need.

prevent inetd from starting up and you are almost done (in case of a desktop system)
how do you think they can get into my machine?

Code:

alain@camulos&#58;~&#93;$
nmap localhost

Starting nmap 3.81 &#40; http&#58;//www.insecure.org/nmap/ &#41; at 2005-08-08 19&#58;08 CEST
All 1663 scanned ports on camulos &#40;127.0.0.1&#41; are&#58; closed

Nmap finished&#58; 1 IP address &#40;1 host up&#41; scanned in 0.151 seconds

all ports are closed without a firewall

and if you really need a firewall, check this site out:
http://easyfwgen.morizot.net/gen/

**tarbz** · 08-09-2005

Hi everybody thanks for the replies. Fire stater was much easier to set up then guard dog. Guard dog isn't displayed in control panel, the only way I can access Guard dog is to type "guarddog" into the run menu. After typing guard dog into the run command a message came up saying : Since you do not have super user privileges guard dog is running with a reduced functionality firewall scripts maybe be imported/exported but the systems firewall setting may not be changed. unquote

I tried to reboot the pc thinking that a guard dog icon would show up in the applications menu but it didn't. (maybe guard dog doesn't work with Gnome)... I don't know what else to make of that error message.

When I hit the help menu a message came up saying : could not launch KDE help center "I'm using gnome." For some reason or another guard dog will not show up in the application menu or allow me to configure the firewall. If all else fails I'm going to either go back to fire starter or figure out how to use the script Alain suggested.

Update: I just now clicked on the link that Alain posted, then after I did, an error massage came back saying page not found and I was not able to gain access to the Internet. I had no other choice but to open the terminal and type apt-get remove guarddog (It's a good thing I came here and asked how to remove fire- stater or I'd never known how to remove guard dog). The pc booted back on the Internet after guard dog was Un- installed. Should I install fire starter again or give guard dog another chance at least fire starter logs what is coming in and out Guard dog I'm not so sure of.

**Mystic_Slayer** · 08-09-2005

why not make a own firewall script:

You will learn alot more:

Take a peek on: Netfilter

**penguinette** · 08-10-2005

Oh, the reason you couldn't get onto the internet after installing Guarddog is because you have to actually go into it and enable the internet once you install it. I couldn't start it correctly from the command line either, but I did find it on my menu options and it asked for my root password. When you first start it, go into the Guarddog help menu and read their very short and simple tutorial. It will tell you how to enable the features you want.

A good place to go and check if the firewall is working right is: www.grc.com, then go to the Firewall Leak test.

By the way (in response to one of the replies on here), I think that everyone connected to the internet SHOULD have a firewall on, especially if you are on DSL or cable.

**alain_** · 08-10-2005

Why do you need a firewall?
Obvious to close any open ports,
but if there are no open ports, there is no need for a firewall to close them

And if you block pings to be "stealted", there are other ways to find out if your computer is "up"
Try nmap, and read carefully the man page.
Here are some pieces of the page

Code:

These advanced scans, on the other hand, may be able to pass  through unmolested

Do  not try to ping hosts at all before scanning them.  This allows the scanning of networks that don't allow ICMP echo requests

And like I said before,
you can hack/crack a firewall.
But you can't hack/crack a service witch isn't running.

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