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Date:      Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:09:28 +0300
From:      Nikos Vassiliadis <nvass@teledomenet.gr>
To:        Ian Smith <smithi@nimnet.asn.au>
Cc:        "Michael K. Smith - Adhost" <mksmith@adhost.com>, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Odd PF Denied Message
Message-ID:  <200710191009.28995.nvass@teledomenet.gr>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.96.1071019132823.23569A-100000@gaia.nimnet.asn.au>
References:  <Pine.BSF.3.96.1071019132823.23569A-100000@gaia.nimnet.asn.au>

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On Friday 19 October 2007 07:06:35 Ian Smith wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:36:27 +0300 Nikos Vassiliadis wrote:
>  > If that's the only message you get
>  > you must be protected, at least packet_filtering-wise.

Here ^^^^

>  > I think log_in_vain can be used when configuring a firewall.
>  > Just to see quickly if your firewall works as expected and
>  > then turn it off. Otherwise it is just going to create tons
>  > of irrelevant log messages.
>
> On the contrary .. if your firewall is working correctly, you shouldn't
> ever be seeing connection attempts to non-listening ports, especially
> from outside. 

Hey, we are saying the same thing, aren't we?

> log_in_vain messages indicate some attention is needed, 
> either to block or reset those connections, or to provide a listener :)
> so removing log_in_vain (shooting the messenger) may not be a good idea.

Hm, almost the same thing. I tend to disagree with this. I prefer
log_in_vain off because usually a server will live in a DMZ. And
most of the time we donot bother runnning local firewalls one each
server and some will say it's wrong to do firewalling on each/a server.
Just one firewall protecting the DMZ. Other computing systems
living in the DMZ can cause noise, irrelevant log messages.
I remember a case where delayed replies from the DNS server were
logged by the kernel creating noise and bloating the logs.
Ofcourse YMMV...

But we basically say the same thing... Use log_in_vain to see what
passes your firewall and "touches" your servers. I prefer to turn
it off afterwards, Ian prefers to let it on.

Cheers

Nikos



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