Hey guys..need some information... installed today Linux Mint and so far i'm liking it so much (mainly resource usage - Half of the amount of RAM compared with vista). I'm a beginner... so i'm asking here for a simple and easy firewall gui... im' thinking in one because i'm not behind a router. I take a read at search results but not found something really elucidative. Make some search in the net and i found this 3 : guarddog kmyfirewall firestarter Firestarter i used some time ago... and found it good and easy to do things.... but i read it is not more developed... is true? The other 2 is easy to use and possibility configure ICMP like firestarter? 'im thinking in add safesquid too... is good? installed it here to see the configurations ad liked much in a first moment. Option to use kaspersky, f-prot and some others av engines to scan traffic and options to filter alot of things. is a good complement? is necessary in a home user PC? thx in advance
All ports are closed by default so no need to worry. If you still want a GUI for firewall, look in Synaptic Package Manage for GUFW, that works great. You don't need an AV for Linux.
Yep and yep. Note too that the FW's mentioned are but GUI's for the Linux FW called IPTables. I have Firestarter installed here (Ubu 9.04) but only for looking at alerts when something out of the ordinary happens. Of course this can be achieved with SNORT which I will be looking at shortly
While I think having a good router is a good idea, the truth is that firewalls are not as imperative in Linux as they are in Windows. For one, Windows has a bunch of unnecessary (and vulnerable) services open by default when there should be no reason for them to be open in the first place. Worse, some of these services can NOT be turned off -- ever. It's just poor design by M$. In Linux if you want to see what ports are open there are a couple of ways to do it: 1) use netstat 2) lsof 3) install nmap and do a scan You will see that you will probably only have 1 or 2 ports open -- probably 631 for the printer and maybe 1 or 2 others. They are easy to turn off. My point is that there are no hidden services (RPC, etc.) with Linux. All services can be easily turned off without any hacks or having to resort to firewalls. (Again, I recommend using a good router or configuring Iptables locally, it's just that I don't think you are at a big risk if you don't). That said, if you want a GUI for your firewall, use GUFW as was suggested above.
I like Linux Mint as well as Ubuntu 9. Since you said you are new to linux please use this website to build your knowledge. http://www.dedoimedo.com/ Take Care.
Thx guys for the replies. Very informative. I take a look at GUFW that already come with Mint and resolved install firestarter (have more options and i'm more familiar with it) today and i will let it run for sometime (i think i made myself a little frightned after some years of Windows hauuauhauauau) i confirmed that all ports are closed/stealthed even without a firewall and this is awesome! much security out of the box. I will let it run until i consider myself more knowledgeable in linux - or take a router - at least make the computer full stealth is not a bad thing at cost of 5-6 mb of ram... anyway and about safesquid? you guys recommend use it? i take some look and not seems complicated to configure. What more safe things is recommended? One more question: when in the process install of the OS a root password is not asked (like in debian) how I can put one? i read in mint the root password is setup by default equal of your user account... this is true? THX
hi by default in mint port 139 is open form samba service is running i suggest you to close that service by or just block the port on your firewall gui mode (GUFW) going to menu click control center in systems you see the option called services you can stop service form there by uncheck then and also by going to properties and stoping the services in gui mode 2ndy you can do every thing with sudo command(your user passward) even in install you need to use your super user password not root and every thing you dont need root but still if you want to unlock root you please go to control center from menu then click on left side on system you see Users and group double click and unlock your root by typing your super user password now after that you and login as root and then going to login window and in 5th tab security check it allow local system administrator login you can login as root with password more you want to know about sudo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudo please if you want to know diffrance between sudo and root please go here https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo http://forums.macosxhints.com/archive/index.php/t-4534.html
Yes, in Ubuntu/Mint the root password is the same as your user password. Technically, Ubuntu/Mint disables the root account and utilizes the sudoers file (most distros do not use sudo by default).
wow i learned more in this thread than in all the hours i spend searching things in the internet about linux today. now understand the sudo thing... i'm thinkin that sudo in like elevate to root to install things, something like the run as adm in LUA in windows. if not ask for much... there is a thing i not find how do in linux: how i can add sources to the sources.list file? It need a format not is? but i searched and found nothing about. I asking because not too long i want install debian to learn more (debian is more "clean"... not come with alot of apps and plugins and will need more work - more things to learn). You guys recommend some forum about linux? something like wilders - talking about how do things and some tips? thx guys for the help.
hi i give you a link about http://www.howtoforge.com/ its great site to learn about linux also check this forum https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=227959 its almost 5 years i had not use derbian i like ubuntu its more of me being lazy and making things more easy and gui base like windows but i guss you can try one thing you can try to install ubuntu tweak on derbian all i never tried it but i tried it on mint and it works perfectly i hope ubuntu is made from derbian so it will work in it as well even if it didnt you can see how to add to source list (sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list) sudo will give you root kinda privilage gedit is a editer to edit pages is the path where your file is located /etc/apt/sources.list from this site its written in bottom how to all ubuntu tweak in source list same thing you need to do... you can even do as disconnect your net login with root and go to /etc/apt/source.list and double click on it and edit it like a txt file you edit in windows http://ubuntu-tweak.com/downloads http://ubuntu-tweak.com/2009/03/03/ubuntu-tweak-046-released.html just download it like in windows and install it with right click on it or double click on it like windows its make your linux more gui (control pannel type and easy) i bet lot of features work even not all but still good to try
