Editing IPFilter (section)

{{Short description|Packet filtering software}}
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{{more citations needed|date=November 2019}}
{{notability|Products|date=November 2019}}
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{{Infobox software
 |name = ipf
 |logo = 
 |caption = 
 |screenshot = 
 |developer = Darren Reed
 |latest release version = 5.1.2
 |latest release date = {{Start date and age|2012|07|22|df=yes}}
 |operating system = [[FreeBSD]], [[NetBSD]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], [[illumos]] ([[OpenIndiana]]), [[Linux]], [[HP-UX]]
 |genre = Packet filtering
 |license = Before 4.1.35 and 5.1.1: IPFilter License ([[BSD license|BSD-like]]); Since 4.1.35 and 5.1.1: [[GNU GPLv2]]{{NoteTag|The full license text can be found from ''IPFILTER.LICENCE'' file of its source directory. The author later also licensed version 5.1.2 under the previous BSD-like license for use in [[FreeBSD]] project.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=254219|title=FreeBSD base Revision 254219|access-date=9 Jun 2020}}</ref>}}
 |website = {{URL|https://www.phildev.net/ipf/}}
}}
'''IPFilter''' (commonly referred to as '''ipf''') is an [[open-source software]] package that provides [[Firewall (computing)|firewall]] services and [[network address translation]] (NAT) for many [[Unix-like]] operating systems. The author and software maintainer is Darren Reed.  IPFilter supports both IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, and is a [[stateful firewall]].

IPFilter is delivered with [[FreeBSD]],<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/firewalls-ipf.html
| title=IPFILTER
| work=FreeBSD Handbook
| publisher=[[FreeBSD]]
| access-date=2019-11-10}}</ref> [[NetBSD]],<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://netbsd.gw.com/cgi-bin/man-cgi?ipf
| title=ipf - alters packet filtering lists for IP packet input and output
| publisher=[[NetBSD]]
| access-date=2019-11-10}}</ref> [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris 10 through 11.3]],<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23824_01/html/821-1453/eupsq.html
| title=IP Filter in Oracle Solaris (Overview)
| date=2012-03-01
| work=Oracle Solaris Administration: IP Services
| publisher=[[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]]
| access-date=2019-11-10}}</ref> [[illumos]]<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://illumos.org/docs/about/features/#firewall
| title=Features
| quote=illumos uses ipfilter for firewalling. Using ipfilter you can create firewalls not just for the host system, but also for zones and hardware virtualized systems.
| publisher=[[illumos]]
| date=2019-10-02
| access-date=2019-11-10}}</ref> ([[OpenIndiana]]<ref> ({{cite web
| url=https://wiki.openindiana.org/oi/4.3+Firewall
| title=System Administration: Firewall
| work=OpenIndiana Handbook
| first=Adam
| last=Števko
| date=2012-02-08
| access-date=2019-11-10}}</ref>) and [[HP-UX]].<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://myenterpriselicense.hpe.com/cwp-ui/free-software/B9901AA
| title=HP-UX IPFilter
| date=2020-03-31
| publisher=[[Hewlett Packard Enterprise|HPE]]
| access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> It used to be a part of [[OpenBSD]], but it was removed by [[Theo de Raadt]] in May 2001 due to problems with its license.<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://marc.info/?l=openbsd-cvs&m=99118909527873
| title=Remove ipf
| work=openbsd-cvs
| first=Theo
| last=de Raadt
| author-link=Theo de Raadt
| date=2001-05-30
| access-date=2019-01-31}}</ref> It was subsequently replaced in OpenBSD by [[PF (firewall)|PF]], which was developed by OpenBSD's own developers. [[DragonFly BSD]] removed its support for IPFilter in May 2011.  [[Oracle Solaris]] imported the PF firewall from OpenBSD in the 11.3 release, and removed IPFilter in the 11.4 release. <ref>{{cite web
| url=https://blogs.oracle.com/solaris/post/migrating-from-ipf-to-packet-filter-in-solaris-114
| title=Migrating from IPF to Packet Filter in Solaris 11.4
| work=Oracle Solaris Blog
| first=Alexandr
| last=Nedvedicky
| date=2018-01-31
| access-date=2024-02-23}}</ref>

IPFilter can be installed as a runtime-[[loadable kernel module]] or directly incorporated into the operating system [[Kernel (operating system)|kernel]], depending on the specifics of each kernel and user preferences. The software's documentation recommends the module approach, if possible.