IPTABLES doesn't work

[jdow]

From: "smoothmilk" <smthmlk at fuckmicrosoft.com>

> Why doesn't redhat-config-securitylevel's iptables rules work?
> 
> If I turn off EVERYTHING (www, ftp, ssh, etc) and save, and even
> manually restart iptables (# /sbin/service iptables restart) other
> computers on my network can access www (even on weird, non-standard
> ports with http servers on them) ftp, ssh, etc. 
> 
> So whats the point of even including that tool if it doesn't do
> anything? I dont understand how it just flat out doesn't work. I have no
> idea how iptables works, and because there's no documentation out there
> for beginners who just want a script that's for eth0 with a simple www,
> ssh and ftp server(s), Im stuck using rh's tools, which don't do
> anything. there's no security here. 
> 
> Can anyone help?

http://www.netfilter.org/

And read, a LOT. Then check out the examples and analyze each line to
figure out what it is doing. That will put you on the first step or two
down the road towards understanding netfilters aka IPTables.

{^_^}   Be pickledif I know why I answered an email with gratuitous
        profanity as an email address. Ah well, must be I am trying
        to shirk off some tough work for a little while longer.