Posts Tagged ‘security’
Security: Firewall
Ubuntu comes standard with a firewall called iptables. Firestarter gives you a graphical interface to configure it.
Ubuntu provides a short guide to install firestarter. Basically it can be installed from Applications> Add/Remove> and then search for firestarter.
After it’s installed firestarter runs a firewall wizard that helps you configure firestarter. If you want to make changes later, go to Applications> Internet> Firestarter. You can test it with Shields Up.
The first time firestarter is run, an icon 
appears in the upper right. After rebooting the icon does not appear unless you run firestarter. This made me wonder if firestarter was protecting my computer even without the icon showing. (In Windows I’m used to seeing the zonealarm icon in my task bar.)
The firewall is active even though the icon is not showing. (An article at howtogeek also confirms this.) The icon only gives you quick access to configuring the firewall. Furthermore, testing with Shields Up convinced me that even without the firestarter icon, my computer is protected.
If you want to see the firestarter icon each time you boot up, here is a tutorial from howtoadvice.
