QUES : connection tracking

QUES : connection tracking

[Ninad Adi]

QUES:  What code is present architecturally in net/ipv4/netfilter
            directory and what code is present architecturally in net/netfilter
            directory ?

QUES: Why do we use terms layer 5 connection trackers and layer 3
           connection trackers whereas connection is maintained only
at layer 4 ?



Ninad.

Re: QUES : connection tracking

[Ninad Adi]

To, Netfilter Giants and Professionals,

I am a netfilter newbie, trying to analyse the system architecturally.

Sorry for answering the questions myself, Let me know if I am wrong !!!!!

QUES:  What code is present architecturally in net/ipv4/netfilter
           directory and what code is present architecturally in net/netfilter
           directory ?
           Kernel 2.6.34 --> ubuntu Linux 10.04
           net/ipv4/netfilter --> This code contains connection
trackers, NAT helpers and
                                        kernel part for rule targets.
           net/netfilter --> This code contains conntrack helpers and
main conntrack system and
                                  conntrack subsystem.

QUES: Why do we use terms layer 5 connection trackers and layer 3
           connection trackers whereas connection is maintained only
           at layer 4 ?

           Finally after studying the code I got what I wanted.

           Layer 3 connection trackers are just for ipaddress tuple
entries and are practically
           useless if there is no layer 4 connection tracker with it.
           i.e we can say layer3 conection trackers are entry point
into the conntrack system as
           they are not dependent on incoming and outgoing interfaces.

           Layer 5 connection trackers are nothing but merely helpers
like FTP data port
           connection and which tells whether a particular connection
is related to the
           main connection or not.

           Layer 4 connection trackers functioning shows us the actual
entries in the conntrack
           table/tuple doubly linked list or in proc/net/nf_conntrack entries.

           Finally the connection is registered at the exit from POST
ROUTING HOOK.


Thanks,
A newbie into the world of firewall security mechanism.


On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 1:13 PM, Ninad Adi <adi.ninad@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUES:  What code is present architecturally in net/ipv4/netfilter
>            directory and what code is present architecturally in net/netfilter
>            directory ?
>
> QUES: Why do we use terms layer 5 connection trackers and layer 3
>           connection trackers whereas connection is maintained only
> at layer 4 ?
>
>
>
> Ninad.
>