Securing Your Network With MikroTik Router Firewall Best Practices

If you're someone who takes security seriously, you know how important it is to have a strong firewall in place. Not only does a firewall block potential threats from infiltrating your network, but it also provides a first line of defense against cyber criminals who are trying to gain access to your router and steal your sensitive information.

MikroTik Firewall : Securing your Router with Port Knocking

One way to take your router's security to the next level is by using a technique called port knocking. This technique involves sending a series of connection attempts to specific ports on your router in a certain sequence in order to "knock" on the door and gain access.

Here's everything you need to know about using port knocking to secure your router:

How does port knocking work?

The idea behind port knocking is to hide the ports that are normally open on your router and only make them accessible to users who know the correct "knock sequence." This means that potential attackers won't even be able to see the ports that are available for them to try to exploit.

Once a user sends the correct knock sequence to your router, the necessary ports will be opened up and the user will gain access to the network. After a set amount of time, the ports will automatically close again if the user doesn't connect.

Why use port knocking?

There are several advantages to using port knocking to secure your router:

Increased security: By hiding your router's ports and only allowing access to trusted users who know the correct knock sequence, you can drastically reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Flexibility: With port knocking, you can choose which ports are open and closed based on the knock sequence. This allows you to customize your router's security to fit your specific needs.
Easy implementation: Implementing port knocking on your router is a relatively easy process that won't require any major changes to your network setup.

How to set up port knocking on your router

Now that you understand what port knocking is and why it's beneficial, it's time to set it up on your router. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Install a port knocking daemon on your router

The first thing you'll need to do is install a port knocking daemon on your router. There are several different daemons available, but one popular option is called knockd. This daemon is open source and can be installed on most routers that run on Linux or Unix.

Step 2: Configure knockd

After you've installed knockd on your router, you'll need to configure it to recognize the correct knock sequence. You can do this by creating a configuration file, which will tell knockd which ports to open and when based on the sequence of connection attempts.

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Step 3: Test your configuration

Before you start using port knocking on your production network, it's important to test your configuration to make sure it's working properly. You can do this by running knockd in debug mode and sending a test sequence of connection attempts to your router.

Step 4: Enable knockd

Assuming your test was successful, you can now enable knockd on your router so that it starts running in the background and listening for the correct knock sequence. You can do this by starting the knockd daemon and making sure it's set to start automatically when your router boots up.

Conclusion

Port knocking is a powerful technique that can help you secure your router and prevent unauthorized access to your network. By hiding your router's ports and only allowing access to trusted users who know the correct knock sequence, you can drastically reduce the risk of cyber attacks and keep your sensitive information safe.

If you're interested in trying out port knocking on your router, be sure to follow the steps outlined in this guide and take the necessary precautions to ensure your network is secure.