Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Easy way to block Windows XP

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Firewalling
    19 Posts 11 Posters 6.3k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • dotdashD
      dotdash
      last edited by

      @viniciusferrao:

      Woha! There's a lot of fingerprints for Windows Systems. And the only one that appears to be useful is this one:

      8192:128:1:52:M*,N,W2,N,N,S:            Windows:Vista::Windows Vista/7

      Simply putting a # in front of this line and enabling TCP drop for Windows systems is the idea?

      It's an idea. No idea if it will work. I haven't needed to filter on OS, so I haven't looked at how the rule is constructed. I would make a test rule, look at the debug on the rules, then edit pf.os, re-create the rule and compare.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • D
        doktornotor Banned
        last edited by

        Almost every single TCP/IP parameter used in the fingerprinting is easily configurable via registry. Or Google e.g. for "OSfuscate" for a single-click GUI way. Hopefully, realizing how futile this is could finally move you to focusing on some useful security-related tasks instead.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • V
          viniciusferrao
          last edited by

          @doktornotor:

          Almost every single TCP/IP parameter used in the fingerprinting is easily configurable via registry. Or Google e.g. for "OSfuscate" for a single-click GUI way. Hopefully, realizing how futile this is could finally move you to focusing on some useful security-related tasks instead.

          This is just to block the dumb user. Which is the major source of problems.

          A good enough solution is enemy of the perfect solution.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • T
            thuizt
            last edited by

            Hello all,

            Has anyone been successfull with this approach ?
            Doesn't seem to have any effect other than blocking all TCP traffic but I might (probably) be wrong somewhere.

            Thanks

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • K
              kejianshi
              last edited by

              I like windows XP, but the fact that it is now unsupported has forced me to upgrade lots of computers…

              To Linux...  (-:

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • G
                GomezAddams
                last edited by

                I suspect that trying to block XP by using some sort of tcp/ip fingerprinting is going to be less than effective, and will cause other problems to boot (Server 2003 probably has the same fingerprint).

                I suspect that some other angle would be the better approach (group policy, using a proxy and filtering on the browser ID string, etc).

                But please do post back here if you find something that works.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                  last edited by

                  "I almost forget, there's a department rule to block WAN connection from XP clients after the end of support."

                  I am curious to what idiot came up with that policy, and what idiot in IT agreed that it was something they could even do?

                  When my son's were in school, they had to install a cisco secure client to access the network.  If your school is going to run a security policy that controls access to the extent hey OS XYZ is not allowed access.  NAC/NAP with a client on the box would be a much more effective method than trying to fingerprint the OS by their tcp traffic.

                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                  SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • H
                    Harvy66
                    last edited by

                    Push out a group policy for XP machines to run a script that will update a MAC address list that can be imported to whatever.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • jimpJ
                      jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                      last edited by

                      After some digging and testing, it looks like pf's p0f code can at least match XP in some, if not many/most cases.

                      No guarantees for accuracy, but I committed some code to 2.2 to let it be selected. The commit applies cleanly to 2.1.2 also.

                      You can apply 6316efd305fdce649851634fcd8bd123686d8d18 with the System Patches package and then select Windows XP in the OS drop-down on the firewall rule. Make sure it's a block rule, and make sure the rule is at the top of the list as usual. If you're on 2.2 you can wait for the next new snapshot later today to try it out.

                      Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                      Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                      Do not Chat/PM for help!

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • K
                        kejianshi
                        last edited by

                        I run XP on one machine because some perfectly good legacy hardware requires it, but I also block XP from accessing the internet or being accessed.  Basically, I'd say if you are the owner of XP system, I would block its internet access, but if you are providing a service to customers, I wouldn't because you may be killing off 30% of your business.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • ?
                          A Former User
                          last edited by

                          I'd take losing the 30% of my business instead of having to deal with a compromise. But that's just me.

                          There are only 2 solutions to the XP problem:

                          1. Linux
                          2. Air-gap the computers that still need to run XP.

                          Anything else is begging for a compromise. I know I'll get stoned for this, but it's the truth. Any outdated OS has no place on the public internet. If we could only drop the outdated routers as well…

                          Just my $0.02. Others will disagree with me, to each their own.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • First post
                            Last post
                          Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.