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Linux-Apps: Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) and gUFW

When using any desktop Linux distribution, is there a need for a firewall? The simple answer is, "Why not?" Even when you are using a desktop Linux distribution with limited services opened to the Internet,  it is recommended to use a firewall as you do not know if there is any malware accidentally installed on your computer. Why take the risk? Another reason is that since there is a simple firewall available (Uncomplicated Firewall) that you can just enable and forget it existed. 

The Uncomplicated Firewall (ufw) is a frontend for iptables and is particularly well-suited for host-based firewalls. ufw provides a framework for managing netfilter, as well as a command-line interface for manipulating the firewall. ufw aims to provide an easy to use interface for people unfamiliar with firewall concepts, while at the same time simplifies complicated iptables commands to help an administrator who knows what he or she is doing. ufw is an upstream for other distributions and graphical frontends.

— https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UncomplicatedFirewall

gUFW image from e-tinet.com

 The above is the Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) frontend. Even without the frontend, the UFW can be configured using the terminal console as some examples below. 
 

  Uncomplicated Firewall (ufw) is a simple desktop firewall created to simplify the complexity of setting up and maintaining a firewall for any average user. UFW can setup using the console or using the Gufw frontend. I recently just installed ufw for all my laptops and enabled them after I find that it is very useful and easy to setup. As I am using only the Linux desktop without any remote services required, things will be easier for me. 

Instructions to setup the ufw:
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status verbose

In case the incoming connections is not denied, you may use the following command to set it:
sudo ufw default deny

    I just used the default settings as shown below in the first picture of Gufw: 
Incoming: Deny
Outgoing: Allow

    Only when you need to have some remote services running on your computer, then it gets a little more complicated but still, it is easy to configure the firewall if you got the following information: 

  • Source and/or  destination IP address
  • Source and/or destination ports
  • Remote service you are using

    Well, it may sound complicated but it is actually simple if you have the information above. Well for details of how to configure that, you may visit the URL below for details. 

Getting Started with UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) on Ubuntu 20.04

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