NuFW
NuFW is a software package that extends Netfilter, the Linux kernel-internal packet filtering firewall module. NuFW adds authentication to filtering rules. NuFW is also provided as a hardware firewall, in the EdenWall firewalling appliance. NuFW has been restarted by the FFI and renamed into UFWI.
Introduction
NuFW / UFWI is an extension of Netfilter which brings the notion of user to IP filtering.NuFW / UFWI can:
- Authenticate any connection that goes through your gateway or only from/to a chosen subset or a specific protocol.
- Perform accounting, routing and Quality of service based on users and not simply on IPs.
- Filter packets with criteria such as application and OS used by distant users.
- Be the key of a secure and simple Single Sign On system.
Principles
NuFW / UFWI refuses the idea of IP user as an IP address can easily be spoofed. It thus usesits own algorithm to perform authentication. It depends on two subsystems: Nufw which is connected to Netfilter and Nuauth
which is connected to clients and Nufw.
The algorithm is the following:
- A standard application sends a packet.
- The Nufw client sees that a connection is being initiated and sends a user request packet.
- The Nufw server queues the packet and sends an auth request packet to the Nuauth server.
- The Nuauth server sums the auth request and the user request packet and checks this against an authentication authority.
- The Nuauth server sends answer back to the Nufw server
- The Nufw server transmits the packet following the answer given to its request.
NuFW is the only real Authentication firewall, as it never associates a user with his machine.
Awards
- 2007: Lutèce d'Or, Best Innovation
- 2005: Les Trophées du Libre, Security