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NAME

       knockd - port-knock server

SYNOPSIS

       knockd [options]

DESCRIPTION

       knockd  is  a  port-knock  server.   It  listens  to  all traffic on an
       ethernet (or PPP) interface, looking for special "knock"  sequences  of
       port-hits.   A  client  makes these port-hits by sending a TCP (or UDP)
       packet to a port on the server.  This port need not be  open  --  since
       knockd  listens  at  the  link-layer level, it sees all traffic even if
       it’s destined for a closed port.  When the server  detects  a  specific
       sequence  of  port-hits, it runs a command defined in its configuration
       file.  This can be used to open  up  holes  in  a  firewall  for  quick
       access.

COMMANDLINE OPTIONS

       -i, --interface <int>
              Specify an interface to listen on.  The default is eth0.

       -d, --daemon
              Become a daemon.  This is usually desired for normal server-like
              operation.

       -c, --config <file>
              Specify an alternate location for the config file.   Default  is
              /etc/knockd.conf.

       -D, --debug
              Ouput debugging messages.

       -l, --lookup
              Lookup  DNS  names for log entries. This may be a security risk!
              See section SECURITY NOTES.

       -v, --verbose
              Output verbose status messages.

       -V, --version
              Display the version.

       -h, --help
              Syntax help.

CONFIGURATION

       knockd reads all knock/event sets  from  a  configuration  file.   Each
       knock/event  begins with a title marker, in the form [name], where name
       is the name of the event that  will  appear  in  the  log.   A  special
       marker, [options], is used to define global options.

       Example #1:
              This  example uses two knocks.  The first will allow the knocker
              to access port 22 (SSH), and the second will close the port when
              the  knocker  is complete.  As you can see, this could be useful
              if you run a very restrictive (DENY policy) firewall  and  would
              like to access it discreetly.

              [options]
                   logfile = /var/log/knockd.log

              [openSSH]
                   sequence    = 7000,8000,9000
                   seq_timeout = 10
                   tcpflags    = syn
                   command     = /sbin/iptables -A INPUT -s %IP% -j ACCEPT

              [closeSSH]
                   sequence    = 9000,8000,7000
                   seq_timeout = 10
                   tcpflags    = syn
                   command     = /sbin/iptables -D INPUT -s %IP% -j ACCEPT

       Example #2:
              This  example  uses  a single knock to control access to port 22
              (SSH).  After receiving a successful knock, the daemon will  run
              the  start_command,  wait for the time specified in cmd_timeout,
              then execute the stop_command.  This is useful to  automatically
              close  the  door behind a knocker.  The knock sequence uses both
              UDP and TCP ports.

              [options]
                   logfile = /var/log/knockd.log

              [opencloseSSH]
                   sequence      = 2222:udp,3333:tcp,4444:udp
                   seq_timeout   = 15
                   tcpflags      = syn,ack
                   start_command = /usr/sbin/iptables -A INPUT -s %IP% -p tcp --syn -j ACCEPT
                   cmd_timeout   = 5
                   stop_command  = /usr/sbin/iptables -D INPUT -s %IP% -p tcp --syn -j ACCEPT

       Example #3:
              This example doesn’t use  a  single,  fixed  knock  sequence  to
              trigger  an  event, but a set of sequences taken from a sequence
              file (one time sequences), specified by  the  one_time_sequences
              directive.   After each successful knock, the used sequence will
              be invalidated and the next sequence from the sequence file  has
              to  be  used  for a successful knock.  This prevents an attacker
              from doing a replay attack after having  discovered  a  sequence
              (eg, while sniffing the network).

              [options]
                   logfile = /var/log/knockd.log

              [opencloseSMTP]
                   one_time_sequences = /etc/knockd/smtp_sequences
                   seq_timeout        = 15
                   tcpflags           = fin,!ack
                   start_command      = /usr/sbin/iptables -A INPUT -s %IP% -p tcp --dport 25 -j ACCEPT
                   cmd_timeout        = 5
                   stop_command       = /usr/sbin/iptables -D INPUT -s %IP% -p tcp --dport 25 -j ACCEPT

CONFIGURATION: GLOBAL DIRECTIVES

       UseSyslog
              Log  action  messages  through  syslog().   This will insert log
              entries into your /var/log/messages or equivalent.

       LogFile = /path/to/file
              Log actions directly to a file, usually /var/log/knockd.log.

       PidFile = /path/to/file
              Pidfile   to    use    when    in    daemon    mode,    default:
              /var/run/knockd.pid.

       Interface = <interface_name>
              Network  interface  to listen on. Only its name has to be given,
              not the path to the device (eg,  "eth0"  and  not  "/dev/eth0").
              Default: eth0.

CONFIGURATION: KNOCK/EVENT DIRECTIVES

       Sequence = <port1>[:<tcp|udp>][,<port2>[:<tcp|udp>] ...]
              Specify  the  sequence of ports in the special knock. If a wrong
              port with the same flags is received, the  knock  is  discarded.
              Optionally, you can define the protocol to be used on a per-port
              basis (default is TCP).

       One_Time_Sequences = /path/to/one_time_sequences_file
              File containing the one time sequences to be used.   Instead  of
              using a fixed sequence, knockd will read the sequence to be used
              from that  file.   After  each  successful  knock  attempt  this
              sequence  will  be  disabled  by  writing a ’#’ character at the
              first position of the line containing the used  sequence.   That
              used  sequence  will then be replaced by the next valid sequence
              from the file.

              Because the  first  character  is  replaced  by  a  ’#’,  it  is
              recommended  that  you  leave  a  space at the beginning of each
              line.  Otherwise the first digit in your knock sequence will  be
              overwritten with a ’#’ after it has been used.

              Each  line  in  the one time sequences file contains exactly one
              sequence and has the same format as the  one  for  the  Sequence
              directive.   Lines  beginning  with  a  ’#’  character  will  be
              ignored.

              Note: Do not edit the file while knockd is running!

       Seq_Timeout = <timeout>
              Time to wait for a sequence to complete in seconds. If the  time
              elapses before the knock is complete, it is discarded.

       TCPFlags = fin|syn|rst|psh|ack|urg
              Only  pay  attention  to  packets that have this flag set.  When
              using TCP flags, knockd will IGNORE tcp packets that don’t match
              the flags.  This is different than the normal behavior, where an
              incorrect packet would invalidate the entire knock, forcing  the
              client  to  start over.  Using "TCPFlags = syn" is useful if you
              are testing over an SSH connection,  as  the  SSH  traffic  will
              usually interfere with (and thus invalidate) the knock.

              Separate   multiple   flags   with   commas   (eg,   TCPFlags  =
              syn,ack,urg).  Flags can be explicitly excluded by  a  "!"  (eg,
              TCPFlags = syn,!ack).

       Start_Command = <command>
              Specify  the  command  to  be  executed  when a client makes the
              correct port-knock.  All instances of %IP% will be replaced with
              the knocker’s IP address.  The Command directive is an alias for
              Start_Command.

       Cmd_Timeout = <timeout>
              Time to wait between Start_Command and Stop_Command in  seconds.
              This  directive  is  optional,  only required if Stop_Command is
              used.

       Stop_Command = <command>
              Specify the command to be executed when Cmd_Timeout seconds have
              passed  since Start_Command has been executed.  All instances of
              %IP% will be replaced  with  the  knocker’s  IP  address.   This
              directive is optional.

SECURITY NOTES

       Using  the  -l  or --lookup commandline option to resolve DNS names for
       log entries may be a security risk!  An attacker may find out the first
       port  of  a  sequence  if  he  can  monitor the DNS traffic of the host
       running knockd.  Also a host  supposed  to  be  stealth  (eg,  dropping
       packets to closed TCP ports instead of replying with an ACK+RST packet)
       may give itself away by resolving a DNS name if an attacker manages  to
       hit the first (unknown) port of a sequence.

SEE ALSO

       knock  is  the  accompanying port-knock client, though telnet or netcat
       could be used for simple TCP knocks instead.  For more advanced knocks,
       see hping, sendip or packit.

AUTHOR

       Judd Vinet <jvinet@zeroflux.org>