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pfsense:suricata:install_suricata

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PFSense - Suricata - Install Suricata

There are multiple parts to this:


Enable Rule Download

Enter settings to download Snort and ET rules.

Navigate to Services → Suricata → Global Settings.

In Please Choose The Type Of Rules You Wish To Download:

  • Install ETOpen Emerging Threats rules: Checked.
  • Install ETPro Emerging Threats rules: Not Checked.
  • ETPro Subscription Configuration Code: <blank>.
  • Install Snort rules: Checked.
  • Snort Rules Filename: snortrules-snapshot-29170.tar.gz.
  • Snort Oinkmaster Code: Set this to your personal Oinkmaster Code obtained from your snort account page.
  • Install Snort GPLv2 Community rules: Checked.
  • Hide Deprecated Rules Categories: Not Checked.


In Rules Update Settings:

  • Update Interval: 6 Hours.
  • Update Start Time: 00:10. The default.
  • Live Rule Swap on Update: Checked.
  • GeoLite2 DB Update: Checked.
  • GeoLite2 DB License Key: Enter your personal MaxMind GeoLite2 DB key.


In General Settings:

  • Remove Blocked Hosts Interval: 1 Hour
  • Log to System Log: Not Checked.
  • Keep Suricata Settings After Deinstall: Checked.


Manually update the rules

Navigate to Services → Suricata → Updates.

Click Update.


Have Suricata Monitor the WAN Interface

Navigate to Services → Suricata → Interfaces.

Click Add.

In General Settings:

  • Enable: Checked.
  • Interface: WAN (pppoe0).
  • Description: WAN.


In Logging Settings:

  • Send Alerts to System Log: Not Checked.
  • Enable Stats Collection: Not Checked.
  • Enable HTTP Log: Checked.
  • Append HTTP Log: Checked.
  • Log Extended HTTP Info: Checked.
  • Enable TLS Log: Not Checked.
  • Enable File-Store: Not Checked.
  • Enable Packet Log: Not Checked.


In EVE Output Settings:

  • EVE JSON Log: Not Checked.


In Alert and Block Settings:

  • Block Offenders: Checked.
  • IPS Mode: Legacy Mode.
  • Kill States: Checked.
  • Which IP to Block: Both.
  • Block On DROP Only: Not Checked.


In Performance and Detection Engine Settings:

  • Run Mode: AutoFP.
  • Max Pending Packets: 1024.
  • Detect-Engine Profile: High.
  • Pattern Matcher Algorithm: Auto.
  • Signature Group Header MPM Context: Auto.
  • Inspection Recursion Limit: 3000.
  • Delayed Detect: Not Checked.
  • Promiscuous Mode: Checked.
  • Interface PCAP Snaplen: 1518.


In Networks Suricata Should Inspect and Protect:

  • Home Net: default:
  • External Net: default.
  • Pass List: default.


In Alert Suppression and Filtering:

  • Alert Suppression and Filtering: default.


In Arguments here will be automatically inserted into the Suricata configuration:

  • Advanced Configuration Pass-Through: <blank>.


Set Categories for the WAN Interface to Monitor

Click on WAN Categories.

In Select the rulesets (Categories) Suricata will load at startup:

  • Within each Ruleset, click the checkbox against whichever rules to enable.
  • Ruleset: ET Open Rules:
    • emerging-attack_response.rules
    • emerging-botcc.portgrouped.rules
    • emerging-botcc.rules
    • emerging-ciarmy.rules
    • emerging-coinminer.rules
    • emerging-compromised.rules
    • emerging-current_events.rules
    • emerging-dos.rules
    • emerging-dshield.rules
    • emerging-exploit.rules
    • emerging-malware.rules
    • emerging-mobile_malware.rules
    • emerging-phishing.rules
    • emerging-scan.rules
    • emerging-worm.rules
  • Ruleset: Snort Text Rules:
    • snort_attack-responses.rules
    • snort_backdoor.rules
    • snort_bad-traffic.rules
    • snort_blacklist.rules
    • snort_botnet-cnc.rules
    • snort_ddos.rules
    • snort_dos.rules
    • snort_exploit-kit.rules
    • snort_exploit.rules
    • snort_malware-backdoor.rules
    • snort_malware-cnc.rules
    • snort_malware-other.rules
    • snort_malware-tools.rules
    • snort_phishing-spam.rules
    • snort_policy-spam.rules
    • snort_scan.rules
    • snort_specific-threats.rules
    • snort_spyware-put.rules
    • snort_virus.rules
    • snort_web-attacks.rules

Create Lists

Created a Pass List

Navigate to Services → Suricata → Pass List.

ALERT: DO NOT CREATE A PASS LIST!!!

Realistically, about the only time that you should require a Passlist is if you are running a honeypot host and you actually want bad stuff to find its way to that host.

In that situation, a passlist makes sense.

For about any other case, it does not.

Use custom PASS rules instead if you really need passlist functionality.


Created a suppress list

To suppress certain snort and ET signatures since initially there a bunch of False Positives.

This is accomplished under Services → Suricata → Suppress.

NOTE: This shows a suppresslist named WANSuppressList.

In order for this specific list to be used:

  • Navigate to Services → Suricata → Interfaces.
  • Edit the specific interface; in this example WAN.
  • Within WAN Settings, go to Alert Suppression and Filtering and select this suppresslist.
  • Click Save.

Rule categories

Choose what rule categories to enable:

Navigate to Services → Suricata → Interfaces → WAN Categories.


pfsense/suricata/install_suricata.1610715733.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/01/15 13:02 by peter

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