Whonix-Gateway Firewall

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• Host (or dom0) Firewall
• Whonix-Gateway Firewall
• Whonix-Workstation Firewall
• Qubes specific

General information about Whonix-Gateway firewall. How-To: Changing firewall settings and Open a Port in Whonix-Gateway Firewall.

Introduction

Whonix has an iptables rules script and firewall configuration file for both Whonix-Gateway and Whonix-Workstation^™. Whonix-Gateway firewall features include:

• transparent proxying
• stream isolation
• reject invalid packages
• fail closed mechanism
• optional VPN-Firewall
• optional isolating proxy
• optional incoming flash proxy
• optional Tor relay

The firewall should not be removed unless you no longer wish to use Whonix.

Whonix-Gateway Firewall Settings

1. Modify Whonix-Gateway^™ User Firewall Settings.

Note: If no changes have yet been made to Whonix Firewall Settings, then the Whonix User Firewall Settings File /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf appears empty (because it does not exist). This is expected.

If using Qubes-Whonix^™, complete these steps.
In Whonix-Gateway App Qube. Make sure folder /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d exists.

sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Whonix-Gateway App Qube (commonly called sys-whonix) → Whonix User Firewall Settings

If using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

Start Menu → Applications → Settings → User Firewall Settings

If using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

In Whonix-Gateway, open the whonix_firewall configuration file in an editor.

sudoedit /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf

For more help, press on Expand on the right.

Note: This is for informational purposes only! Do not edit /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf.

Note: The Whonix Global Firewall Settings File /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf contains default settings and explanatory comments about their purpose. By default, the file is opened read-only and is not meant to be directly edited. Below, it is recommended to open the file without root rights. The file contains an explanatory comment on how to change firewall settings.

## Please use "/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf" for your custom configuration,
## which will override the defaults found here. When {{project_name_short}} is updated, this
## file may be overwritten.

See also Whonix modular flexible .d style configuration folders.

To view the file, follow these instructions.

If using Qubes-Whonix, complete these steps.

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Template: whonix-gateway-17 → Whonix Global Firewall Settings

If using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

Start Menu → Applications → Settings → Global Firewall Settings

If using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

In Whonix-Gateway, open the whonix_firewall configuration file in an editor. nano /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf

2. Add setting.

3. Save.

4. Reload Whonix-Gateway^™ Firewall.

If you are using Qubes-Whonix^™, complete the following steps.

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Whonix-Gateway ProxyVM (commonly named sys-whonix) → Reload Whonix Firewall

If you are using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete the following steps.

Start Menu → Applications → System → Reload Whonix Firewall

If you are using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, run. sudo whonix_firewall

5. Done.

The procedure is complete.

How-to: Open an Incoming Port on Whonix-Gateway Firewall

From the Outside

Warning:

• This is usually not required!
• This is Unsupported! Always follow Firewall Refactoring steps before and after making configuration changes to check if the firewall rules actually changed.

Host → Whonix-Gateway

Internet → Host → Whonix-Gateway

This will allow an incoming connection on Whonix-Gateway originating from:

• if using VM: the host.
• if using physical isolation: the Internet.

1. Modify Whonix-Gateway^™ User Firewall Settings.

Note: If no changes have yet been made to Whonix Firewall Settings, then the Whonix User Firewall Settings File /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf appears empty (because it does not exist). This is expected.

If using Qubes-Whonix^™, complete these steps.
In Whonix-Gateway App Qube. Make sure folder /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d exists.

sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Whonix-Gateway App Qube (commonly called sys-whonix) → Whonix User Firewall Settings

If using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

Start Menu → Applications → Settings → User Firewall Settings

If using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

In Whonix-Gateway, open the whonix_firewall configuration file in an editor.

sudoedit /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf

For more help, press on Expand on the right.

Note: This is for informational purposes only! Do not edit /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf.

Note: The Whonix Global Firewall Settings File /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf contains default settings and explanatory comments about their purpose. By default, the file is opened read-only and is not meant to be directly edited. Below, it is recommended to open the file without root rights. The file contains an explanatory comment on how to change firewall settings.

## Please use "/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf" for your custom configuration,
## which will override the defaults found here. When {{project_name_short}} is updated, this
## file may be overwritten.

See also Whonix modular flexible .d style configuration folders.

To view the file, follow these instructions.

If using Qubes-Whonix, complete these steps.

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Template: whonix-gateway-17 → Whonix Global Firewall Settings

If using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

Start Menu → Applications → Settings → Global Firewall Settings

If using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

In Whonix-Gateway, open the whonix_firewall configuration file in an editor. nano /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf

2. Add.

Replace 80 with the actual port you would like to open.

EXTERNAL_OPEN_PORTS+=" 80 "

3. Save.

4. Reload Whonix-Gateway^™ Firewall.

If you are using Qubes-Whonix^™, complete the following steps.

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Whonix-Gateway ProxyVM (commonly named sys-whonix) → Reload Whonix Firewall

If you are using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete the following steps.

Start Menu → Applications → System → Reload Whonix Firewall

If you are using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, run. sudo whonix_firewall

5. Done.

The procedure is complete.

For Connections Originating from Whonix-Workstation

Warning:

• This is usually not required!
• This is Unsupported! Always follow Firewall Refactoring steps before and after making configuration changes to check if the firewall rules actually changed.

Whonix-Workstation → Whonix-Gateway

This will allow incoming connections from Whonix-Workstation to Whonix-Gateway.

It might be useful for Tor additional SocksPorts. (Whonix-Workstation → Whonix-Gateway → Tor SocksPort)

1. Modify Whonix-Gateway^™ User Firewall Settings.

Note: If no changes have yet been made to Whonix Firewall Settings, then the Whonix User Firewall Settings File /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf appears empty (because it does not exist). This is expected.

If using Qubes-Whonix^™, complete these steps.
In Whonix-Gateway App Qube. Make sure folder /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d exists.

sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Whonix-Gateway App Qube (commonly called sys-whonix) → Whonix User Firewall Settings

If using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

Start Menu → Applications → Settings → User Firewall Settings

If using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

In Whonix-Gateway, open the whonix_firewall configuration file in an editor.

sudoedit /usr/local/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf

For more help, press on Expand on the right.

Note: This is for informational purposes only! Do not edit /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf.

Note: The Whonix Global Firewall Settings File /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf contains default settings and explanatory comments about their purpose. By default, the file is opened read-only and is not meant to be directly edited. Below, it is recommended to open the file without root rights. The file contains an explanatory comment on how to change firewall settings.

## Please use "/etc/whonix_firewall.d/50_user.conf" for your custom configuration,
## which will override the defaults found here. When {{project_name_short}} is updated, this
## file may be overwritten.

See also Whonix modular flexible .d style configuration folders.

To view the file, follow these instructions.

If using Qubes-Whonix, complete these steps.

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Template: whonix-gateway-17 → Whonix Global Firewall Settings

If using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

Start Menu → Applications → Settings → Global Firewall Settings

If using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, complete these steps.

In Whonix-Gateway, open the whonix_firewall configuration file in an editor. nano /etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf

2. Add.

Note: Replace 9230 with the actual port you would like to open.

INTERNAL_OPEN_PORTS+=" 9230 "

3. Save.

4. Reload Whonix-Gateway^™ Firewall.

If you are using Qubes-Whonix^™, complete the following steps.

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Whonix-Gateway ProxyVM (commonly named sys-whonix) → Reload Whonix Firewall

If you are using a graphical Whonix-Gateway, complete the following steps.

Start Menu → Applications → System → Reload Whonix Firewall

If you are using a terminal-only Whonix-Gateway, run. sudo whonix_firewall

The procedure is complete.

Disable Socksified Connections

The following setting prevents Whonix-Workstation from making sockified connections, i.e. applications talking to a Tor SocksPort listening on Whonix-Gateway.

Add the following setting to Whonix-Gateway firewall configuration.

WORKSTATION_ALLOW_SOCKSIFIED=0

Disable Transparent Proxying

What is transparent proxying? See Transparent Proxy.

How to disable transparent proxying? See Disable Transparent Proxying.

See Also

• Open a Port(s) in Whonix and Port Forwarding
• Whonix Configuration Drop-In Folders
• https://github.com/Whonix/whonix-firewall/blob/master/etc/whonix_firewall.d/30_whonix_gateway_default.conf
• https://github.com/Whonix/whonix-firewall/blob/master/usr/bin/whonix-gateway-firewall
• https://github.com/Whonix/whonix-firewall
• Whonix-Workstation Firewall
• Whonix-Workstation is Firewalled
• Redirect Whonix-Workstation Ports or Unix Domain Socket Files to Whonix-Gateway

Footnotes

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