Linux Iptables Firewall: Log IP or TCP Packet Header

Iptables provides the option to log both IP and TCP headers in a log file. This is useful to:
=> Detect Attacks

=> Analyze IP / TCP Headers

=> Troubleshoot Problems

=> Intrusion Detection

=> Iptables Log Analysis

=> Use 3rd party application such as PSAD (a tool to detect port scans and other suspicious traffic)

=> Use as education tool to understand TCP / IP header formats etc.

How do I turn on Logging IP Packet Header Options?

Add the following command to your iptables script beo:

iptables -A INPUT -j LOG --log-ip-options
iptables -A INPUT -j DROP

How do I turn on Logging TCP Packet Header Options?

Add the following command to your iptables script:

iptables -A INPUT -j LOG --log-tcp-options
iptables -A INPUT -j DROP

You may need to add additional filtering criteria such as source and destination ports/IP-address and other connection tracking features. To see IP / TCP header use tail -f or grep command:
# tail -f /var/log/messages

Recommended readings:

• TCP Protocol
• iptables man page

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