[Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file

bmeeks

It is fixed now. It was a problem on the Snort/Talos side. They have restored the older Community Rules file now.

I've marked this thread as [Solved].

ddepaolis

I confirm, I finished to update once again all my rules, GPLv2 too, and I completed on both my PFSense platforms. Really thanks so much for this quick support !

crsesilva

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone else has this problem again?

"pfSense CE 2.5.0" "Snort Package Version 4.1.3_2"

https://www.snort.org/downloads/community/snort-community-rules.tar.gz.md5 returns 404 (File not found)
https://www.snort.org/downloads/community/snort3-community-rules.tar.gz.md5 returns 200 and is a thing.

I'm sorry to post in a resolved topic, but I believe we have the problem again.

Thanks.

slu

@crsesilva
yes same here:

Starting rules update...  Time: 2021-03-27 11:07:31
        [...]
	Downloading Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 file community-rules.tar.gz.md5...
	Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 download failed.
	Server returned error code 404.
	Server error message was: 404 Not Found
	Snort GPLv2 Community Rules will not be updated.

crsesilva

@slu

Today, in a new download attempt, I was successful.

Looking at the download options page for snort.org in the community, Snort v2.9 appeared again. Yesterday, only Snort v3.0 available.

I want to believe that it is a one-off mistake and not forcing us to go immediately to Snort 3.0.

Thanks.
Cheers.

monotypeTattoo

This seems to be back:

Downloading Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 file community-rules.tar.gz.md5...
	Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 download failed.
	Server returned error code 404.
	Server error message was: 404 Not Found

It looks like the Snort v2.9 community rules have been removed again?

monotypeTattoo

Once again the Snort v2.9 community rules have been removed:

Excerpt from update log:

	Downloading Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 file community-rules.tar.gz.md5...
	Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 download failed.
	Server returned error code 404.
	Server error message was: 404 Not Found
	Snort GPLv2 Community Rules will not be updated.

bmeeks

Yes, I noticed this as well during some Suricata testing in a VM. This is a problem the Snort team will have to resolve.

Do NOT attempt to use the Snort3 rules with the 2.9.x binary! If you use any Snort3 rules with either Snort or Suricata, you will break your installation to the point the only recovery method is to remove the package and reinstall it.

bmeeks

This issue has once again been solved by the Snort Rules Team. The GPLv2 Community Rules for Snort 2.9.x are available.

monotypeTattoo

@bmeeks Thank you.

I did send an email enquiry linking to this thread and describing the problem. I received a very brief reply effectively denying the problem.

I suspect the process that creates the community-rules.tar.gz file possibly breaks on occasion?

bmeeks

@monotypetattoo said in [Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file:

@bmeeks Thank you.

I did send an email enquiry linking to this thread and describing the problem. I received a very brief reply effectively denying the problem.

I suspect the process that creates the community-rules.tar.gz file possibly breaks on occasion?

From the little bit I understand via previous email conversations with some of the Snort team members, this is an automated process. It sometimes hiccups, and I guess now that Snort3 is their main focus, they don't always notice if the 2.9.x rules packages fail to build and post correctly.

xperttech

Hi all, I'm new to pfSense.
I just installed it over the weekend and have this very issue from the start. My gateway has never seen the GPLv2 Community Rules for Snort 2.0.x. I find that it has happened a few times in years past. Seems to be back.
Do we need to keep reminding someone to fix this automated process?
Thanks!

bmeeks

@xperttech said in [Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file:

Hi all, I'm new to pfSense.
I just installed it over the weekend and have this very issue from the start. My gateway has never seen the GPLv2 Community Rules for Snort 2.0.x. I find that it has happened a few times in years past. Seems to be back.
Do we need to keep reminding someone to fix this automated process?
Thanks!

This would be something you should take up with the Snort team. Perhaps by joining their mailing list here: https://seclists.org/snort/.

You should also be aware that if you have a Snort VRT subscription ~~(or are registered for their free 30-day aged rules)~~, then you do not need to download the GPL v2 Community Rules separately as they are included within the subscriber ~~and registered~~ packages.

Edited: found out only paid subscribers have the GPLv2 Community Rules included within that archive. Registered users (non-paying) get an archive that does not include the GPLv2 Rules.

DefenderLLC

@bmeeks said in [Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file:

@xperttech said in [Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file:

Hi all, I'm new to pfSense.
I just installed it over the weekend and have this very issue from the start. My gateway has never seen the GPLv2 Community Rules for Snort 2.0.x. I find that it has happened a few times in years past. Seems to be back.
Do we need to keep reminding someone to fix this automated process?
Thanks!

This would be something you should take up with the Snort team. Perhaps by joining their mailing list here: https://seclists.org/snort/.

You should also be aware that if you have a Snort VRT subscription (or are registered for their free 30-day aged rules), then you do not need to download the GPL v2 Community Rules separately as they are included within the subscriber and registered packages.

I’m having the same exact issue although I’m a paid subscriber, so I just disabled the community rules. Something definitely happened in the last few days.

Update: It looks like Snort removed the community ruleset for v2.9.. #Shocker

https://www.snort.org/downloads#rules

fireodo

@DefenderLLC said in [Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file:

Something definitely happened in the last few days.

I guess asking Talos would bring clarity ... ;-)

slu

@bmeeks
any change to bring SNORT 3.x to pfSense?
I guess this is much work, otherwise you would have done it a long time ago?

bmeeks

@slu said in [Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file:

@bmeeks
any change to bring SNORT 3.x to pfSense?
I guess this is much work, otherwise you would have done it a long time ago?

No, I am not working on anything for Snort3 and have no future plans to do so. I tried it twice and gave up. The benefit was not worth the effort and hassle compared to just using the existing Suricata package.

At some point Snort 2.9.x is going to go EOL (end-of-life) upstream. At that point Suricata will be the IDS/IPS package on pfSense unless someone else steps up to provide a Snort3 package.

DefenderLLC

@bmeeks I'm guessing you probably have that reply saved in your notes somewhere for replies to this never-ending question. :)

fireodo

@bmeeks said in [Solved] Snort GPLv2 Community Rules - Unable to download checksum file:

At that point Suricata will be the IDS/IPS package on pfSense unless someone else steps up to provide a Snort3 package.

Is there a good strategy to go from snort to suricata? (I mean with as less as possible hassle)

DefenderLLC

@fireodo I know you didn't ask me, but most of your rulesets will work. Some Snort rules might throw up an error. The good news is that your suppression lists should also work too since they seem to use the same format. For me, that's the hardest about tuning IDS/IPS on a new network. Just make sure to copy them before removing the Snort package. You also just disable any Snort interfaces while you're configuring Suricata. When you're done, then you can remove Snort and it's underlying data.