How to Block abusive IP addresses using IPTABLES Firewall in Debian/Ubuntu

Blocking abusive IP addresses using IPTABLES Firewall

In computing, a firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. A firewall typically establishes a barrier between a trusted, secure internal network and another outside network, such as the Internet, that is assumed to not be secure or trusted. 

Firewalls are often categorized as either network firewalls or host-based firewalls. Network firewalls are a software appliance running on general purpose hardware or hardware-based firewall computer appliances that filter traffic between two or more networks. Host-based firewalls provide a layer of software on one host that controls network traffic in and out of that single machine

• Flushing the old firewall rules
• Determining service ports
• Setting-up default policies
• Setting-up your firewall rules
• Saving your firewall rules

BLOCKING IPs USING IPTABLES

To block some abusive IP address or range of IPs, you can use the following iptables rules:

## iptables -I INPUT -s 1.2.3.4 -j DROP
## iptables -I INPUT -s 1.2.0.0/16 -j DROP

CREATING THE BLACKLIST

For better readability and maintenance, it is a good idea to have all abusing IPs in one particular file, for example /etc/blacklist.ips. This way, you can add the IP addresses or subnets in this file (one IP or subnet per line) and use the fwall-rules script below to block anything listed in this file.

So, create or edit /usr/local/bin/fwall-rules and make it as follows:

#!/bin/bash
#
# iptables firewall script
# 
#

IPTABLES=/sbin/iptables
BLACKLIST=/etc/blacklist.ips

echo " * flushing old rules"
${IPTABLES} --flush
${IPTABLES} --delete-chain
${IPTABLES} --table nat --flush
${IPTABLES} --table nat --delete-chain

echo " * setting default policies"
${IPTABLES} -P INPUT DROP
${IPTABLES} -P FORWARD DROP
${IPTABLES} -P OUTPUT ACCEPT

echo " * allowing loopback devices"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
${IPTABLES} -A OUTPUT -o lo -j ACCEPT

${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp ! --syn -m state --state NEW -j DROP
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT

## BLOCK ABUSING IPs HERE ##
#echo " * BLACKLIST"
#${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -s _ABUSIVE_IP_ -j DROP
#${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -s _ABUSIVE_IP2_ -j DROP

echo " * allowing ssh on port 5622"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 5622  -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing ftp on port 21"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 21  -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing dns on port 53 udp"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p udp -m udp --dport 53 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing dns on port 53 tcp"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp -m tcp --dport 53 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing http on port 80"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80  -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing https on port 443"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing smtp on port 25"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 25 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing submission on port 587"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 587 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing imaps on port 993"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 993 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing pop3s on port 995"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 995 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing imap on port 143"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 143 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing pop3 on port 110"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW -m tcp --dport 110 -j ACCEPT

echo " * allowing ping responses"
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -p ICMP --icmp-type 8 -j ACCEPT

# DROP everything else and Log it
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -j LOG
${IPTABLES} -A INPUT -j DROP

#
# Block abusing IPs 
# from ${BLACKLIST}
#
if [[ -f "${BLACKLIST}" ]] && [[ -s "${BLACKLIST}" ]]; then
    echo " * BLOCKING ABUSIVE IPs"
    while read IP; do
        ${IPTABLES} -I INPUT -s "${IP}" -j DROP
    done < <(cat "${BLACKLIST}")
fi

#
# Save settings
#
echo " * SAVING RULES"

if [[ -d /etc/network/if-pre-up.d ]]; then
    if [[ ! -f /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables ]]; then
        echo -e "#!/bin/bash" > /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables
        echo -e "test -e /etc/iptables.rules && iptables-restore -c /etc/iptables.rules" >> /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables
        chmod +x /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables
    fi
fi

iptables-save > /etc/fwall.rules
iptables-restore -c /etc/fwall.rules

make sure the script is executable by adding an ‘x’ bit to it:

# chmod +x /usr/local/bin/fwall-rules

APPLYING THE RULES

To apply the firewall rules and block the abusers, you need to just execute the fwall-rules script and that’s it.

# fwall-rules
 * flushing old rules
 * setting default policies
 * allowing loopback devices
 * allowing ssh on port 5622
 * allowing ftp on port 21
 * allowing dns on port 53 udp
 * allowing dns on port 53 tcp
 * allowing http on port 80
 * allowing https on port 443
 * allowing smtp on port 25
 * allowing submission on port 587
 * allowing imaps on port 993
 * allowing pop3s on port 995
 * allowing imap on port 143
 * allowing pop3 on port 110
 * allowing ping responses
 * BLOCKING ABUSIVE IPs
 * SAVING RULES

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