Editing Shorewall

{{Short description|Firewall software}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{one source|date=November 2014}}
{{primary sources|date=November 2014}}
}}

{{Infobox software
|name                       = Shorewall
|logo                       = Shorewall logo.png
|logo size                  = 250px
|screenshot                 =
|caption                    =
|collapsible                =
|author                     =
|developer                  = Thomas M. Eastep
|released                   = <!-- {{Start date|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
|latest release version     = 5.2.8<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shorewall.net/index.html#Releases|title=Shoreline Firewall (Shorewall)|website=Shorewall|accessdate=29 Oct 2020}}</ref>
|latest release date        = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2020|09|24}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://shorewall.org/pub/shorewall/5.2/shorewall-5.2.8/releasenotes.txt|title=SHOREWALL 5.2.8|format=TXT|publisher=Shorewall.net|accessdate=29 Oct 2020}}</ref>
|latest preview version     =
|latest preview date        = <!-- {{Start date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
|programming language       = [[Perl]]
|operating system           = [[GNU]]
|platform                   =
|size                       =
|language                   = [[English language|English]]
|genre                      =
|license                    = [[GPL]]v2+<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shorewall.net/Notices.html#GPLv3|title=Shorewall Notices|website=Shorewall|accessdate=22 November 2014}}</ref>
|website                    = {{URL|https://shorewall.org/}}
}}

'''Shorewall''' is an [[open-source software|open source]] [[firewall (networking)|firewall]] tool for [[Linux]] that builds upon the [[Netfilter]] ([[iptables]]/[[ipchains]]) system built into the [[Linux kernel]], making it easier to manage more complex configuration schemes by providing a higher level of abstraction for describing rules using text files. Its documentation is hosted on shorewall.org, while the latest code is hosted at https://gitlab.com/shorewall/code.

== Configuration ==
It is not a [[daemon (computing)|daemon]] since it does not run continuously, but rather configures rules in the kernel allowing and disallowing traffic through the system. Shorewall is configured through a group of plain-text configuration files and does not have a [[graphical user interface]], though a [[Webmin]] module is available separately. A monitoring utility packaged with Shorewall can be used to watch the status of the system as it operates and to assist in testing.

== Use==
Shorewall is mainly used in network installations<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Eastep|first=Thomas M.|date=2020-09-19|title=Current Shorewall Releases|url=https://shorewall.org/index.html#Releases|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Shorewall}}</ref>  (as opposed to a [[personal firewall|personal computer firewall]]), since most of its strength lies in its ability to work with "zones",<ref name=":0" /> such as the [[Demilitarized zone (computing)|DMZ]] or a 'net' zone. Each zone would then have different rules, making it easy to have for example relaxed rules on the company [[intranet]], yet clamp down on traffic coming in from the [[Internet]].

The plain-text configuration files are usually well-commented and easy to use, though Shorewall may be more difficult for new users to handle than other firewall systems with graphical front-ends.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

== History ==
Starting with version 4, Shorewall began using a [[Perl]]-based compiler frontend; previously it used a shell-based compiler frontend.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shorewall.net/pub/shorewall/4.4/shorewall-4.4.3/releasenotes.txt|format=TXT|title= R E L E A S E 4 . 4 H I G H L I G H T S|website=Shorewall|accessdate=22 November 2014}}</ref> Support for [[IPv6]] firewalling is included since version 4.2.4.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Eastep|first=Tom|date=2019-02-18|title=Shoreline Firewall (Shorewall)|url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/shorewall/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Sourceforge (Shorewall)}}</ref>

On 18 February 2019, primary developer Tom Eastep announced that he is retiring from the project, and 5.2.3 would be his final release.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/p/shorewall/mailman/message/36589782/|title=Shoreline Firewall (Shorewall) / [Shorewall-users] The end of the road...|website=sourceforge.net (Shorewall)|access-date=2019-02-18}}</ref> Management of the Shorewall project was handed over to a Shorewall committee who would manage the future direction of the Shorewall project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/p/shorewall/mailman/message/36596609/|title=Shoreline Firewall (Shorewall) / [Shorewall-announce] The Next Chapter for Shorewall|website=sourceforge.net (Shorewall)|access-date=2020-10-29}}</ref> Tom Eastep however continues to be a major contributor to the Shorewall project as of September 2020.

==See also==
{{Portal-inline|Free software}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}

{{Firewall software}}

[[Category:Firewall software]]