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Re: [Sheflug] Re: Iptables



On 05 May 2002 15:59:37 +0100
shef-lug-admin@list.sheflug.org.uk wrote:

> On Sun, 2002-05-05 at 15:27, shef-lug-admin [at] list.sheflug.org.uk wrote:
> > If you are using passive ftp you know from the start the local source
> > and remote destination port and can allow in traffic on that basis (a
> > stateful firewall does that automatically). With active ftp all you
> > know is that the ftp server is attempting to send data from the
> > ftp-data port to one of your unpriv ports
> 
> No, you actually know what port would be contacted and whether or not
> the client had requested it. If there was no means of the client and
> server agreeing the connection, the server wouldn't be able to connect
> to the client - the ftp receiver can't listen on all ports
> simultaneously.

The ftp client knows what port to expect ftp-data on, but the firewall
doesn't. How do you get the ftp client to tell the firewall what port to
open for ftp-data? You can't, so you need all unprivileged ports open.
Bad.

> > > That's quite a general statement, given that you're talking about
> > > allowing certain network packets to pass or not on the basis of one
> > > single bit. 
> > 
> > Without that bit it's kinda hard to have any meaningful conversation
> > with any of the services,

> > No SYN == I'm not going to talk to you
> 
> Not quite. No syn == this isn't a packet intended to establish a
> connection. What operating systems do in response to packets without a
> syn bit set and no established connection is one of the things nmap uses
> for fingerprinting. 

But close enough. You can block packets with the combinations of fin, urg
& push flags nmap uses with other firewall rules.

> > An excellent way to #really# screw with an ISP would be to take down
> > their DHCP server.
> 
> Or, worse, providing your own DHCP service :)

That would be the next step :)

> > Should your ISP use RFC1918 address space for their mail/DHCP servers
> > etc, then it becomes harder for the customer to block RFC1918 at their
> > firewall.
> 
> You shouldn't be using the same network numbers in any case, though.
> Private/public ranges isn't what is at issue here: it's routing, and
> packet leakage. Private/public is an arbitrary distinction used to make
> people's lives easier; there's technically no real difference between
> the two.

Granted.

--Andrew

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