iptables Helper
Safer firewall changes with toggles, backups, and rollback to prevent lockouts.
Overview
Wrapper script that performs backups and sanity checks before applying iptables changes, avoiding accidental lockouts and providing fast rollback.
The Problem
Anyone who's managed Linux firewalls knows the fear: one bad rule and you're locked out of your own server. Remote access gone, requiring console access or a support ticket to recover.
The Solution
- Atomic rule updates with pre-change backups
- Automatic rollback on connectivity failure
- Test mode to validate rules before applying
- Clear logging of all changes
- Works across multiple hosts and environments
Example Usage
# Backup current rules
./iptables-helper.sh backup
# Apply new rules with auto-rollback on failure
./iptables-helper.sh apply rules.conf --safe
# Restore from backup
./iptables-helper.sh restore
# Test rules without applying
./iptables-helper.sh test rules.conf