Building Linux and Openbsd Firewalls (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Building Linux and OpenBSD Firewalls tackles considerably more than its title implies. For one thing, it's an introductory Internet security text that explains some of the methods attackers employ and how security strategies (including firewalls) can help thwart them.

Some of this coverage is very basic indeed ("What's an IP address?" and "What's a good Password" are two elementary sidebars), but that's in keeping with this series, which is intended for managers and others somewhat removed from detail work as well as for technicians. Still, the differences between OpenBSD and Linux boil down to a couple of key features, and you'll find yourself halfway through this book before you get to any how-to material on configuring a firewall. The configuration information is easy to follow: the authors explain which options to choose in the operating systems' respective installation routines and outline some supplementary procedures to follow afterward.

This book deserves kudos for treating OpenBSD with the same respect most books lavish over the trendier Linux, and the odds are good you'll learn a lot about it. You'll find the general security material valuable as well, particularly if you're new to the security game and need a primer on firewalls, demilitarized zones (DMZs), and the vulnerabilities of particular protocols and services. Still, this isn't the best practical guide around. Look at Linux Firewalls for detailed information on configuring IP chains under Linux, Maximum Linux Security for an all-purpose take on that system's security characteristics, and Firewalls and Internet Security: Repelling the Wily Hacker for further comprehensive security coverage. --David Wall

Topics covered: Internet security background, fundamentals of firewall design and security policy, the relative merits of OpenBSD and Linux, and the configuration of bare-metal machines as firewalls under both operating systems. The authors use Red Hat Linux 6 and OpenBSD 2.5.

Review

"This is an excellently written and organized examination of existing security perceptions and procedures."--System Administration magazine

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (February 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471353663
• ISBN-13: 978-0471353669
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,515,780 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #56 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Security & Encryption > Firewalls
  #62 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Security & Encryption > Linux Security

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful but not for beginners, September 4, 2000

By A Customer

I found this book very helpful and was able to set up a working OpenBSD firewall using it. I did have to consult the OpenBSD FAQs and other material on the Web, however.

The only quibble I have with this book is its presumed target audience. The intro says "Knowledge of Unix is not assumed," but I would recommend that you not even consider starting a firewall building project unless you have good knowledge of UNIX, networking, and basic system administration. If you're picking up this book with that background, though, you will find it a very detailed and helpful guide to setting up your firewall.

By the way, the book is geared towards OpenBSD 2.5 but the website has a lot of good updated information on the latest release, 2.7. Plus it has a bunch more examples beyond what is in the book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginer to intermediate, August 27, 2000

By	Michael Pohoreski "Michaelangelo" (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book starts off discussing why we need firewalls, along with a good recap on how TCP/IP works. (Even showing how Ping of Death, and TearDrop work!) The real meat doesn't start until Chapters 6 & 7, installing/configuring Linux, and Chapters 8 & 9 installing/configuring OpenBSD. Chapter 10 discusses tuning the firewall, showing BOTH Linux and OpenBSD setups, which is a nice touch.

Pros: a) Theory _AND_ Implementation in the same book! b) NOT a dry read. Just the right mix of a little humor. c) Covers both Linux and BSD, nice if you want to switch or are interested in seeing how the "other" OS does things.

Cons: a) A little superfluous at times, the information probably could be condensed a little. b) For Linux, David Ranch's online "Trinity OS" security guide is more resourceful. "Linux Firewalls" by Robert L. Ziegler continues where this book leaves off. I would love to see a "BSD Firewalls" which continues in the same tradition.

Summary: "Building Firewalls for dummies" would sum up this book quite well. A GREAT intro for step-by-step firewall setup.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good intro to OpenBSD, Internet Security, March 20, 2000

By A Customer

A very good introduction to OpenBSD and Linux security issues. Assumes very little knowledge, so newbies will learn much, but not at the expense of more complex topics. Authors, IMHO, view OpenBSD as the platform of choice for running your firewall, but also give you a top to bottom installation/configuration guide for Linux as well. Funny asides and conversational tone make this book an easy read, for the most part, and much more readable than many other computer books I've read.