nftables Linux firewall configuration files examples

Last updated: Mar 18, 2024

nftables is going to replace iptables so to be in tune with the times, here, some notes to see how it works on a Debian system.

Configuration

OS : Debian 12
nftables : 1.0.6

General informations

Enable nftables service with systemctl so that it starts automatically at boot time:

root@host:~# systemctl enable nftables.service

Edit nftables rules file:

root@host:~# vim /etc/nftables.conf

Load nftables rules:

root@host:~# nft -f /etc/nftables.conf

Show current rules:

root@host:~# nft list ruleset

Clear the ruleset:

root@host:~# nft flush ruleset

Notes :
- inet designates ipv4 and ipv6 addresses. ip word designates ipv4 addresses only and ipv6 word designates ipv6 addresses only.
- iif means input interface and oif means output interface.
- log prefix "NFTABLES LOG : " rule logs traffic passing through it in /var/log/syslog.

SMTP Server

A configuration file example that I use for a smtp server.

#!/usr/sbin/nft -f

flush ruleset

# ----- IPv4 -----
table ip filter {
        chain INPUT {
                type filter hook input priority 0; policy drop; #by default, we drop traffic

                iif lo accept comment "Accept any localhost traffic"
                ct state invalid counter drop comment "Drop invalid connections"
                ct state { established, related } counter accept comment "Accept traffic originated from us"
                iif != lo ip daddr 127.0.0.1/8 counter drop comment "drop connections to loopback not coming from loopback"

                ip protocol icmp icmp type { destination-unreachable, router-solicitation, router-advertisement, time-exceeded, parameter-problem } accept comment "Accept ICMP"
		
		iif eth0 ip saddr 10.0.0.10 tcp dport ssh ct state { new, related, established } counter accept comment "Accept ssh from 10.0.0.10"
                tcp dport { smtp, 465, 143, 993 } ct state { new, related, established } counter accept comment "Accept imap, imaps, smtp protocols"
		log prefix "INPUT : " #trace dropped traffic (use journalctl --grep=INPUT")
                counter drop #count and drop
        }
        chain FORWARD {
                type filter hook forward priority 0; policy drop;
                counter comment "count dropped packets"
        }
        chain OUTPUT {
                type filter hook output priority 0; policy accept;
        }
}

# ----- IPv6 -----
table ip6 filter {
        chain INPUT {
                type filter hook input priority 0; policy drop; #by default, we drop traffic

                iif lo accept comment "Accept any localhost traffic"
                iif != lo ip6 daddr ::1/128 counter drop comment "drop connections to loopback not coming from loopback"
                ct state invalid drop comment "Drop invalid connections"
                ct state { established, related } accept comment "Accept traffic originated from us"

                ip6 nexthdr icmpv6 icmpv6 type { destination-unreachable, packet-too-big, time-exceeded, parameter-problem, mld-listener-query, mld-listener-report, mld-listener-reduction, nd-router-solicit, nd-router-advert, nd-neighbor-solicit, nd-neighbor-advert, ind-neighbor-solicit, ind-neighbor-advert, mld2-listener-report } accept comment "Accept ICMPv6"
                #ip protocol igmp accept comment "Accept IGMP"

                tcp dport { smtp, 465, 143, 993 } ct state { new, related, established } counter accept comment "Accept imap, imaps, smtp"
                counter drop #count and drop
        }
        chain FORWARD {
                type filter hook forward priority 0; policy drop;
                counter comment "count dropped packets"
        }
        chain OUTPUT {
                type filter hook output priority 0;
        }
}

Router

A configuration file that I use to configure routers.

#!/usr/sbin/nft -f

flush ruleset

table ip my_nat {
        chain my_masquerade {
                type nat hook postrouting priority 100; policy accept;
                ip daddr != { 192.168.0.0/16 } oifname "wan" masquerade comment "outgoing NAT"
        }

        chain my_prerouting {
                type nat hook prerouting priority -100; policy accept;
                iifname "wan" tcp dport { http, https } dnat to 192.168.10.250 comment "Web Redirect"
                iifname "wan" udp dport 9994 dnat to 192.168.10.251:1194 comment "OpenVPN Redirect"
        }
}
table inet filter {
        chain input {
                type filter hook input priority 0; policy drop;
                iif "lo" accept
                ct state { related, established} accept
                ct state invalid drop
                meta l4proto icmp accept
                ip saddr 192.168.0.0/16 tcp dport { ntp, domain, ssh } ct state { new, related, established } accept comment "dns, ntp, ssh"
                ip saddr 192.168.0.0/16 udp dport { ntp, domain } ct state { new, related, established } accept comment "dns, ntp"
                iifname "wan" jump input_wan
                iifname "lan" jump input_lan
		log prefix "INPUT : " #trace dropped traffic (use journalctl --grep=INPUT")
        }

        chain input_wan {
                ip saddr { 46.105.57.169 } tcp dport ssh accept comment "allow external SSH"
        }

        chain input_lan {
                tcp dport ssh accept
        }

        chain forward {
                type filter hook forward priority 0; policy drop; #by default, we drop traffic 
                ct state { related, established } accept
                ct state invalid drop
                ip saddr 192.168.0.0/16 tcp dport { http, https } accept comment "accept WEB"
                iifname { "lan" } oifname "wan" udp dport { domain, ntp } accept comment "DNS"
                ip saddr 192.168.0.0/16 ip daddr 192.168.0.0/16 icmp type { echo-reply, echo-request} accept comment "allow icmp"
        }

        chain output {
                type filter hook output priority 0; policy accept;
        }
}

Computing

Music

Misc

nftables Linux firewall configuration files examples

Configuration

General informations

SMTP Server

Router