Setting Up a Firewall with UFW on Ubuntu

UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a user-friendly interface for managing firewall rules on Ubuntu and Debian systems. This guide will help you set up and configure UFW to protect your Linux server.

Why You Need a Firewall

A firewall acts as a barrier between your Linux server and the internet, controlling which network traffic is allowed in and out.

Step 1: Check UFW Status

First, check if UFW is installed:

sudo ufw status verbose

If UFW isn't installed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ufw

Step 2: Set Default Policies

Configure UFW to deny all incoming traffic and allow all outgoing traffic:

sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw default allow outgoing

Step 3: Allow SSH (Critical!)

Before enabling UFW, allow SSH connections or you'll lock yourself out:

sudo ufw allow ssh

Or specify the port explicitly:

sudo ufw allow 22/tcp

Step 4: Allow Common Services

Allow the services you need:

Web Server (HTTP/HTTPS)

sudo ufw allow http    # Port 80
sudo ufw allow https   # Port 443

Step 5: Enable UFW

Once you've configured your rules, enable UFW:

sudo ufw enable

Step 6: Verify Configuration

Check your firewall status and rules:

sudo ufw status numbered

Conclusion

You've now configured a secure firewall using UFW! Combined with Gumpbox's intuitive interface, managing your Linux server security becomes effortless.

Next Steps

• How to Secure Your Linux server with SSH Keys
• Protect Your Linux server from Brute Force Attacks with Fail2ban