IPCop
Encyclopedia
IPCop is a Linux distribution
which aims to provide a simple-to-manage firewall appliance based on PC
hardware. IPCop is a stateful firewall
built on the Linux netfilter framework.
Originally a fork of the SmoothWall
Linux firewall, the projects are developed independently, and have now diverged significantly.
IPCop includes a simple, user managed update mechanism to install security updates when required.
style, by a diverse development group spread across the Internet at large. CD-ROM
images
for the installation CD are distributed via a network of mirrors
. Support websites are maintained in English, French, German and Dutch. IPCop's user interface is available in 35 languages.
Version 1.4.0 was released in 2004, based on the LFS
distribution and a 2.4 kernel, offering an updated user interface and a number of additional language options. This version is no longer supported with updates or bugfixes.
The current stable version is 2.0.2, released in 2011, after three years of development. There is a new installer, and a new User Interface, with a number of former addons incorporated into IPCop itself. The new features and changes are outlined here.
Although not an official part of IPCop, there are many addons, some based on the addon server, that add additional functionality to IPCop, such as advanced QoS, e-mail virus checking, traffic summary, extended interfaces for controlling the proxy, and many more.
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
which aims to provide a simple-to-manage firewall appliance based on PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
hardware. IPCop is a stateful firewall
Stateful firewall
In computing, a stateful firewall is a firewall that keeps track of the state of network connections traveling across it. The firewall is programmed to distinguish legitimate packets for different types of connections...
built on the Linux netfilter framework.
Originally a fork of the SmoothWall
SmoothWall
Smoothwall is a Linux distribution designed to be used as an open source firewall. Designed for ease of use, Smoothwall is configured via a web-based GUI, and requires little or no knowledge of Linux to install or use....
Linux firewall, the projects are developed independently, and have now diverged significantly.
IPCop includes a simple, user managed update mechanism to install security updates when required.
Development
IPCop is developed, in traditional open sourceOpen source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
style, by a diverse development group spread across the Internet at large. CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
images
ISO image
An ISO image is an archive file of an optical disc, composed of the data contents of every written sector of an optical disc, including the optical disc file system...
for the installation CD are distributed via a network of mirrors
Mirror (computing)
In computing, a mirror is an exact copy of a data set. On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site.Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads...
. Support websites are maintained in English, French, German and Dutch. IPCop's user interface is available in 35 languages.
Version 1.4.0 was released in 2004, based on the LFS
Linux From Scratch
Linux From Scratch is a type of a Linux installation and the name of a book written by Gerard Beekmans among others. The book gives readers instructions on how to build a Linux system from source...
distribution and a 2.4 kernel, offering an updated user interface and a number of additional language options. This version is no longer supported with updates or bugfixes.
The current stable version is 2.0.2, released in 2011, after three years of development. There is a new installer, and a new User Interface, with a number of former addons incorporated into IPCop itself. The new features and changes are outlined here.
Although not an official part of IPCop, there are many addons, some based on the addon server, that add additional functionality to IPCop, such as advanced QoS, e-mail virus checking, traffic summary, extended interfaces for controlling the proxy, and many more.
External links
- The IPCop Homepage
- Addons for IPCop Firewall
- P2P-blocking addons for IPCop
- A transparent virus and spam filtering IPCop Addon for POP3, SMTP, HTTP and FTP - Copfilter
- Banish - Simply block access by IP, CIDR, Domain and MAC Addresses
- VPN with IPcop in a Windows network
- IPCop Screenshots
- English Support Site
- IPCop Italia - Community italiana dedicata a IPCop
- German Support Site
- Indonesia Support Site
- How to setup IPCop in a virtual machine
- Building and IPCop Firewall Part 1
- Building and IPCop Firewall w/ Copfilter Part 2
- IPCop v1.4.15 with Addons: Advanced Proxy, BOT, Connection Scheduler, Net-Traffic, PPTPD Server, SysInfo GUI, UPS Server, URL Filter, Zerina (German)
- FreiesMagazin "IPCop - the bad packets stop here" Article about IPCop (German)
- RaqCop is IPCop tweaked to run on Sun Cobalt Raq hardware