ConfigServer Security & Firewall, CSF basic commands, advanced configurations and settings

Basic CSF commands

• Enable CSF

  csf -e

• Disable CSF

  csf -x

• Start CSF

  csf -s

• Flush/Stop CSF

  csf -f

• Reload CSF

  csf -r

• Allow an IP and add it to csf.allow – /etc/csf/csf.allow

  csf -a 162.162.1.219

• Remove and delete an IP from csf.allow – /etc/csf/csf.allow

  csf -ar 162.162.1.209

• Place an IP on temporary deny list in /var/lib/csf/csf.tempban

  csf -td

• Remove an IP from the temporary IP ban or allow list

  csf -tr 162.162.1.209

• Flush all IPs from the temporary IP entries

  csf -tf

• Deny an IP and add to csf.deny

  csf -d 162.162.1.209

• Remove and Unblock an IP from csf.deny

  csf -dr 162.162.1.209

• Remove and Unblock all entries from csf.deny

  csf -df

• Search for a pattern match on iptables e.g : IP, CIDR, Port Number

  csf -g 152.167.1.118

Advanced Configuration to csf.conf at /etc/csf/csf.conf

• Add root and admin notification email addresses at /etc/aliases.

  root: root@domain.com
  admin: admin@domain.com
  

• Add email address to get all notifications – /etc/csf
  (csf > firewall configuration > Reporting Settings > LF_ALERT_TO = alert@domain.com)

  LF_ALERT_TO = "alert@domain.com"

• Stop or disable “excessive resource usage” change PT_USERTIME = 0

  PT_USERTIME = "0"

  Under Process Tracking at /etc/csf

• Don’t Block IP addresses that are in the csf.allow files

  IGNORE_ALLOW = "1"

• Allow Incoming and Outgoing ICMP

  ICMP_IN = "1"

  ICMP_OUT = "1"

• Block Certain Countres

  CC_DENY = "CA,CN,US"

  CC_ALLOW = "IN,ME,DE"

• Send the Su and SSH Login log by Email

  LF_SSH_EMAIL_ALERT = "1"

  LF_SU_EMAIL_ALERT = "1"

•  Get alert or notification

  LF_ALERT_TO = "email@domain.tld"

Warning in CSF

• SYSLOG_CHECK option check
  (This option helps prevent brute force attacks on your server services)
  • Open /etc/csf/csf.conf
  • Search for “SYSLOG_CHECK”
  • Put value between 300 and 3600 seconds

    SYSLOG_CHECK = "600"

  • Restart CSF firewall

    #csf -r

• Check for DNS recursion restrictions
  (You have a local DNS server running but do not appear to have any recursion restrictions set. This is a security and performance risk and you should look at restricting recursive lookups to the local IP addresses only)
  • Add following options to /etc/named.conf

    options {        
       allow-recursion {
       localhost;
    };

  • Restart named

    service named restart

• Check for cxs
  (You should consider using cxs to scan web script uploads and user accounts for exploits uploaded to the server)

  ConfigServer eXploit Scanner (cxs) - from $60/server

  https://configserver.com/cp/cxs.html

• Check for osm
  (You should consider using osm to provide protection from spammers exploiting the server)

  Outgoing Spam Monitor (osm) - $40/server

  https://www.configserver.com/cp/osm.html

• Check for swap file
  (The server appears to have no swap file. This is usually considered a stability and performance risk. You should either add a swap partition, or create one via a normal file on an existing partition)
• SSH/Telnet Check
  • Check SSH PasswordAuthentication
    (You should disable PasswordAuthentication and only allow access using PubkeyAuthentication to improve brute-force SSH security)
  • Check SSH UseDNS
    (You should disable UseDNS by editing /etc/ssh/sshd_config. Otherwise, lfd will be unable to track SSHD login failures successfully as the log files will not report IP addresses)

    UseDNS no