The Howdy Glossary

UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is an open-source front-end interface to the netfilter firewall system, which comes pre-installed with many Linux distributions. The software provides a more user-friendly way to manage an iptables-based firewall and simplifies the process of creating rules for packet filtering, network address translation (NAT), and proxy support. UFW offers a straightforward command-line interface that makes it easy to enable or disable the firewall, manage individual application profiles, set up custom rules, and control incoming and outgoing traffic on specified ports. An educational mode can be utilized to fine-tune settings without blocking all network traffic while adapting the rule sets. The simplicity of UFW's commands facilitates quick implementation while allowing advanced users direct access to iptables if necessary.