Firewall in zorin

General Help
#2

Hello switchedfromwindows, welcome to the forum.

Relax, you're safe. This is the default simple setup. When you have time read up on network infrastructure and firewall configuration with ipsec if you want better understanding and the ability to write your own rules.

The basic firewall, once turned on, denies all traffic initiated from the network. The allow is anything your machine initiated.

This means your machine has to make the original connection and request for whatever. It will allow responses to those requests from the network, but it has to be a response.

If anything from the network attempts to establish a connection to your computer, it will be dropped. You must initiate any and all communication. But just like a phone, if you call a call center, expect spam calls for a while.... be careful what you click and what you download. Don't believe everything in your email, social media or internet page unless it's from a reliable source or posted the same on a reliable source. Linux is far safer than windows, still mostly not needing an antivirus software.

Be careful what you click,
your actions on the internet is what will make your firewall fail. True Story

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#3

Is there a way to understand the firewall settings to get the right settings? I'm a bit confused about setting up a firewall.

#4

The simple setup will suffice for most users. The only reason you would have to deal with any firewall it would be your router firewall to enable port forwarding for a vpn and such. Maybe dedicate forwarding to improve a game system. How you use your system and what you do with it, a rudimentary understanding is all that's necessary. If you really want to dive into it... here is a link to MIT basic configuration principals.

http://web.mit.edu/rhel-doc/4/RH-DOCS/rhel-sag-en-4/ch-basic-firewall.html

As for grasping it, it took two months of structured learning, a love for networking and constant practice to understand the basics for me (i learn quickly and have a passion for the topic). Unless you too have a passion for it and can absorb dry technical jargon like a sponge, the same two classes would take you from 3 to 6 months and still will barely grasp the basics. I applaud your enthusiasm for wanting to learn it, but you soon realize after all that time, the default is fine.
Since you're not doing pen testing or illegal hacking, it should be more than fine for you. The following is a link describing the very firewall you are asking about. The only thing i ask is that you don't change anything you don't understand, for your protection.

https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-configure-firewall-in-ubuntu-18-04

I am not trying to be condescending or rude, in my experience people just learning something tend to think they can do it better, and for the most part they are wrong. Firewalls have been around for over 2 decades with the world's sharpest minds working on them to improve security for everyone.

Do not open anything to the internet that you don't want accessed. It may be fine for a while, until you find there is someone lurking in your network, watching your ring doorbell and rerouting emails and messages until your identity is finally stolen.

Learn the ports and what they do before opening them. Ssh can be a big deal, especially improperly configured (and an eight character password is not secure). Ipsec and keys are the best way, but those need configured too. And they are they're own topics to research.

It will get complicated fast and require more study of other topics along the way.

Understand the basic part before attempting the advanced. Most of what you think will help is already applied in the basic setup.

Happy learning

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#5

In the years I've been solely using Linux, the only time I've had to do anything with regards to the firewall was to allow for KDE Connect, to sync with my cell. Outside of that, just leave it be. Have had Zero issues.

#6

so basically i am safe? is there any things else so that i can do to be more safe on the internet, i even deny the the out going connections but i noticed the internet speed decreased, how i can make my computer more safe so that if i accidentally click a link or mail with malware in it, i will be safe.... i turn on hotspot from my mobile and connect my computer through Wi-Fi....

#7

In using a Linux OS instead of Windows, many pieces of Malware will not be applicable to the Linux operating system and ineffective. A bit how a virus that targets newts will not have any affect on a human.

I agree with all comments about the firewall: Set it up as Default. Denying connections manually is more likely to cause you headaches. I understand if you want to learn more- that will take time and a forum is not really the ideal place to get a thorough education. A forum is good for fast tips and help. During the time that you spend learning more and more about firewall configuration, through documentation, you can rely on the default firewall settings to keep you in the clear.

Even so, there is only so much you can do with a firewall. Think First Party, Second Party, Third party. Let's say that you want to buy a watch.
First Party is if you go to a reputable watch dealer.
Second party is if a friend offers to buy you the watch, as he says he 'knows a guy', and he then provides the watch to you.
Third party is if that friend has an agent, that buys the watch from some source, provides it to the friend, he then provides it to you.
Clearly, you can see that the safest option above is the First Party. Visiting a website or reading an email is the same.

It is best to avoid clicking links provided in an email as often as possible. Some sites use email verification with a link. You can check the sources before clicking it, however. But any link provided in an email that You Did Not Request is suspect.

While computers and programs can be impressive in how their algorithms work, they are still nowhere near to Human Intelligence, reasoning and decision making. You are the most powerful and intelligent firewall available to your computer. You can make fast decisions, double check a source, search the source rather than clicking a second party link and so on. A firewall cannot do any of that - it can only block regardless of content.

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#8

is it true, if by chance if my zorin os gets infected by virus or a malware, so my that virus will also transfer to my phone, as i connect my pc with mobile hotspot, so my question is does virus or malware transfer with Wi-F ??

#9

Generally, no. Your Mobile device runs on an ARM OS, which would not be any more compatible for any possible virus than Windows would.
This is a general answer. It does not mean that such as you describe is 'impossible.' Something could be written to do just that. But the odds of you encountering such a thing is significantly less than you getting struck by lightning while inside of a crashing jet that also collides with an incoming meteorite.

Unless you are a secret agent or deep into the dark web with bitcoin theft- you really would not need to worry about that. Because someone would have to quite literally have to be out to get you. In such a case, the automated Firewall would not be very much help, anyway.

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#10

I am second to your opinion.
All those years of Linux use, I've never changed my Firewall setting from default.
I also have Pi-hole installed on a stick computer which also works as a DHCP server. It can block a lot of spamming sites on the net. Highly recommended.

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#11

The only way to keep your computer that secure is to unplug it from the internet, wait months after updates come out, rigorously testing against malware and antivirus engines, then updating... which ends up being a waste in time and computing because most updates are security based. An offline computer is the only safe computer.

Do not get hung up on security to the point of not using the internet. You lose more by not having access. Use common sense, any deal to good to be true is... think before you click. Hover to see links and if it redirects. Use strict permissions in your browser and set your email client to convert all emails to plain text. That is the safest you can be. Update regularly and relax, because most encounter viruses and maleware because of bad intentions (pirating software or movies or songs, xxx surfing and other less reputable net uses).

Regular use will not be your insecurity.... clicking a link in email that comes from fb, which isn't Facebook, about someone accessing your account (which never happened) will be your downfall. Bottom line, THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK (emphasis not yelling).

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#12

An isolated computer is the only safe computer. That means not inserting USB sticks or any network connection. That is not really practicable in this day and age.
I agree, always best to ... engage brain before clicking

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#13

So as I was about to hook up Zorin Connect with my cell, no firewall on Z16?
Did I miss something...?

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#14

You can do a

sudo apt install gufw

I did not even notice. Surprised me too.

#15

Makes me want to ask..... Is it because it's "Built Into the system"...?
Seems like it would be a glaring omission to me.

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#16

Oh and @Aravisian , Thanks. Firewall added. :grin:

#17

I do agree on this - Maybe we are missing something.

#18

The Firewall is pre-installed in Zorin OS 16 and can be found under Settings > Network > Firewall Configuration

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Firewall GUI missing from menu
Firewall configuration file can't be found
#19

Is it UFW? I'm not trying to be difficult here but uhh... Terminal says neither gufw nor ufw is installed.
I just logged into Gnome, went to settings, network - there is a Firewall configuration button. Nothing happens when I click it.

If I open terminal and move to install (As I posted above):

sudo apt install gufw

sudo apt install gufw
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
ufw
The following NEW packages will be installed:
gufw ufw
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 1,034 kB of archives.
After this operation, 4,503 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

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#20

Oops... forgot something. Lol. It's bound to happen occasionally. :laughing:

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#21

You mind-reader... I almost made this wisecrack earlier... But decided against it. :stuck_out_tongue:

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