PfBlockerNG

digdug3 · Jan 31, 2015, 10:30 AM

@BBCan:

Thanks for mailing me I was (almost) missing all the fun ;)
The package really needs to be released officially!

Great marcelloc pointed out the old pfblocker is now obsolete and should be replaced with pfBlockerNG.

JasonJoel · Jan 31, 2015, 1:17 PM

Not in my package list yet (just the old blocker package). Looking forward to it though!!

@Topper727:

I seen it in packages today. Got the update from it.

wcrowder · Jan 31, 2015, 3:54 PM

See:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=86212.msg481358#msg481358

Make sure you read this entire thread.

@JasonJoel:

Not in my package list yet (just the old blocker package). Looking forward to it though!!

@Topper727:

I seen it in packages today. Got the update from it.

reggie14 · Jan 31, 2015, 6:07 PM

@wcrowder:

See:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=86212.msg481358#msg481358

Make sure you read this entire thread.

I'm confused. Doesn't this post indicate that the package is being officially released now, and that we won't have to do anything special to download it?

marcelloc · Jan 31, 2015, 6:10 PM

The pull request needs to be merged by pfsense team before you can use it without any hacks.

Bummer · Jan 31, 2015, 6:11 PM

Ha, ha, ha… I was wondering the same thing too!

bfeitell · Jan 31, 2015, 8:29 PM

I used the patch method to install pfBlockerNG, and it was working well on two machines until a reboot. After a reboot the country block lists in /var/db/aliastables/ are all empty but for a single entry of 1.1.1.1.

Forcing an update does not fetch the correct files, and no blocking is taking place.

BBcan177 · Jan 31, 2015, 8:41 PM

@bfeitell:

I used the patch method to install pfBlockerNG, and it was working well on two machines until a reboot.

Is this a Nano install where the /var folder is getting deleted on reboot?

This is a question I have asked the Devs to find a solution for… As these files should be stored in the /var folder. The previous pfBlocker package used to store the files in the /usr/local folder. This issue is only limited to Nano and Ramdisk type installs.

Run the following shell command to Re-Download the Maxmind Database, and restore the Country code files in the /var folder.

php /usr/local/www/pfblockerng/pfblockerng.php dc

Following that, execute a "Force Update"

marcelloc · Jan 31, 2015, 8:41 PM

@BBcan177:

Is this a Nano install where the /var folder is getting deleted on reboot?

I guess so.

You may need a conf mount rw to backup data on package save.

I found a long time ago a guide to run nanobsd on virtual machine. This way will be easier to debug cf installs.

BBcan177 · Jan 31, 2015, 9:05 PM

@marcelloc:

You may need a conf mount rw to backup data on package save.

I found a long time ago a guide to run nanobsd on virtual machine. This way will be easier to debug cf installs.

Yes, I have a similar doc on that running a Nano in a VM. In this instance, there is nothing to debug.. The /var/db folder which contains the Maxmind Country files get wiped on reboot. I can make a hack way around it in the code which probably is not the best.

This is a question I have posed to the Devs, but I am waiting on feedback for the best approach. I do not want to save these files to the /usr/local folder.

Maybe could put it in the PBI Share Folder?

bfeitell · Jan 31, 2015, 8:51 PM

Yes indeed, it is a nano install. Thank you for the fix!

doktornotor · Jan 31, 2015, 9:40 PM

@BBcan177:

The /var/db folder which contains the Maxmind Country files get wiped on reboot. I can make a hack way around it in the code which probably is not the best.
This is a question I have posed to the Devs, but I am waiting on feedback for the best approach. I do not want to save these files to the /usr/local folder.
Maybe could put it in the PBI Share Folder?

The /var/db thing is rather unfortunate, not just b/c it's volatile but also since the directory is pretty huge. Takes over 1/3 of the default /var ramdisk.

digdug3 · Feb 1, 2015, 8:39 AM

pfBlockerNG needs the Maxmind database country codes otherwise most of the functions will not work.

doktornotor · Feb 1, 2015, 8:41 AM

@digdug3:

pfBlockerNG needs the Maxmind database country codes otherwise most of the functions will not work.

Hmmm, yeah… and the point being? It's already there.

digdug3 · Feb 1, 2015, 9:16 AM

The point being if we added a "disable country codes" mode then you would free up the memory.
This can be a solution for low-memory devices, but then you would miss out all the benefits like reputation, country blocking etc.

Supermule · Feb 1, 2015, 9:20 AM

And what would be the point of doing that in a countryblock package?

doktornotor · Feb 1, 2015, 9:34 AM

@digdug3:

The point being if we added a "disable country codes" mode then you would free up the memory.

Cannot see anyone suggesting something similar anywhere. All that's being discussed here is moving the files to a better place.

digdug3 · Feb 1, 2015, 10:29 AM

@doktornotor:

The /var/db thing is rather unfortunate, not just b/c it's volatile but also since the directory is pretty huge. Takes over 1/3 of the default /var ramdisk.

Thats why I suggested the option to disable country blocking as a whole, only as an option…

@Supermule:

And what would be the point of doing that in a countryblock package?

pfBlockerNG is much more than just a countryblock package.
I think most of the users use pfBlockerNG as an ip-blocklist and use the countrycodes only for reputation.

Supermule · Feb 1, 2015, 10:30 AM

Well. I can tell you differently…

I use them for blocking as well since I dont want anything to do with the countries I block....and my customers dont have any business there as well.

So I dont get the traffic on my servers and I can sleep fairly safe at night :D

doktornotor · Feb 1, 2015, 11:15 AM

Meanwhile, you can use Shellcmd package and run this as shellcmd on nanobsd boxes:


/usr/local/bin/php /usr/local/www/pfblockerng/pfblockerng.php dc

to get the blocklists back on reboot.