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Updating Iptables to block torrent traffic

Posted on April 28, 2014

Hi Guys,

I am running a VPN server but need to block illegal torrent downloads. The VPN plugin is provided by safesrv.net I have had updated Iptables prepared but I am interested in feedback from anyone who has experience with this.

Our updated iptables are below:

iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 1024:1193 -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 1195:1644 -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 1647:65534 -j ACCEPT

Allowing all neede ports for OpenVPN L2TP PPTP and RADIUS

iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 1812 -j ACCEPT iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 1813 -j ACCEPT iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 1701 -j ACCEPT iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 4500 -j ACCEPT iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 500 -j ACCEPT iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT iptables -I OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 1723 -j ACCEPT

Drop torrents

iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 6881:6889 -j DROP iptables -A OUTPUT -p udp --dport 1024:65534 -j DROP

Set more radius (alt) ports

iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 1645 -j ACCEPT iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 1646 -j ACCEPT

Try torrent name filters

iptables -A FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP

Trying forward

iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 6881:6889 -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp --dport 1024:65534 -j DROP

Found on web

iptables -N LOGDROP > /dev/null 2> /dev/null iptables -F LOGDROP iptables -A LOGDROP -j DROP

#Torrent iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j LOGDROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j LOGDROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j LOGDROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j LOGDROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j LOGDROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j LOGDROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j LOGDROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j LOGDROP

DHT keyword

iptables -A FORWARD -m string --string “get_peers” --algo bm -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -m string --string “announce_peer” --algo bm -j LOGDROP iptables -A FORWARD -m string --string “find_node” --algo bm -j LOGDROP

Modified debia commands

iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -A FORWARD -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP

iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP

iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -I INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP

iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP

iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP

Delete

iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -D INPUT -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP

iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -D OUTPUT -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP

iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “BitTorrent protocol” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “peer_id=” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “.torrent” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “announce.php?passkey=” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “torrent” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “announce” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “info_hash” -j DROP iptables -D FORWARD -m string --algo bm --string “tracker” -j DROP



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Here is my rules, change the chain as your need.

iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "BitTorrent" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "BitTorrent protocol" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "peer_id=" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string ".torrent" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "announce.php?passkey=" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "torrent" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "announce" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "info_hash" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "tracker" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "get_peers" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "announce_peer" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -m string --string "find_node" --algo bm -j DROP

I’m getting more and more confused about blocking traffic and openvpn. Isn’t it so that it doesn’t affect any openvpn traffic when you place rules in the OUTPUT chain regarding protocols/portnumbers? I mean… the traffic is encapsulated in an encrypted tunnel and only on arriving at the client by decrypting it becomes clear for what application/port the traffic is destined.

Or am i crazy?

My guess would be that rules should be in the FORWARD chain where eth0 goes on the internet to fetch things. Or is that what arrives at the tun interface transparent for the firewall/iptables?

Tested it and it works when you put them in the forward chain. Tested it over the openvpn and putting (for testing!) this rule at the top of the chain. All other networks can pass and only traffic coming from the 10.8.1.0/24 network is not getting any over 443 :

-A FORWARD -s 10.8.1.0/24 -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP -A FORWARD -i tun+ -j ACCEPT

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