# reaction
A daemon that scans program outputs for repeated patterns, and takes action.
A common usage is to scan ssh and webserver logs, and to ban hosts that cause multiple authentication errors.
🚧 This program hasn't received external security audit yet. However, it already works well on many servers 🚧
## Rationale
I was using the honorable fail2ban since quite a long time, but i was a bit frustrated by its CPU consumption
and all its heavy default configuration.
In my view, a security-oriented program should be simple to configure
and an always-running daemon should be implemented in a fast*er* language.
reaction does not have all the features of the honorable fail2ban, but it's more than 10x faster and has more manageable configuration.
[📽️ quick french name explanation 😉](https://u.ppom.me/reaction.webm)
[🇬🇧 in-depth blog article](https://blog.ppom.me/en-reaction)
/ [🇫🇷 french version](https://blog.ppom.me/fr-reaction)
## Rust rewrite
reaction v2.x is a complete Rust rewrite of reaction.
It's in feature parity with the Go version, v1.x, which is now deprecated.
See https://blog.ppom.me/en-reaction-v2.
## Configuration
YAML and [JSONnet](https://jsonnet.org/) (more powerful) are supported.
both are extensions of JSON, so JSON is transitively supported.
- See [reaction.yml](./config/example.yml) or [reaction.jsonnet](./config/example.jsonnet) for a fully explained reference (ipv4 + ipv6)
- See the [wiki](https://reaction.ppom.me) for multiple examples, security recommendations and FAQ.
- See [server.jsonnet](https://reaction.ppom.me/configurations/ppom/server.jsonnet.html) for a real-world configuration
- See [reaction.service](./config/reaction.service) for a systemd service file
- This minimal example (ipv4 only) shows what's needed to prevent brute force attacks on an ssh server (please read at least the [Security](https://reaction.ppom.me/security.html) part of the wiki before starting 🆙):
/etc/reaction.yml
```yaml
patterns:
ip:
type: ipv4
start:
- [ 'iptables', '-w', '-N', 'reaction' ]
- [ 'iptables', '-w', '-I', 'INPUT', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction' ]
- [ 'iptables', '-w', '-I', 'FORWARD', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction' ]
stop:
- [ 'iptables', '-w', '-D', 'INPUT', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction' ]
- [ 'iptables', '-w', '-D', 'FORWARD', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction' ]
- [ 'iptables', '-w', '-F', 'reaction' ]
- [ 'iptables', '-w', '-X', 'reaction' ]
streams:
ssh:
cmd: [ 'journalctl', '-fu', 'sshd.service' ]
filters:
failedlogin:
regex:
- 'authentication failure;.*rhost='
- 'Failed password for .* from '
- 'Invalid user .* from '
- 'banner exchange: Connection from port [0-9]*: invalid format'
retry: 3
retryperiod: '6h'
actions:
ban:
cmd: [ 'iptables', '-w', '-I', 'reaction', '1', '-s', '', '-j', 'DROP' ]
unban:
cmd: [ 'iptables', '-w', '-D', 'reaction', '1', '-s', '', '-j', 'DROP' ]
after: '48h'
```
/etc/reaction.jsonnet
```jsonnet
local banFor(time) = {
ban: {
cmd: ['iptables', '-w', '-A', 'reaction', '-s', '', '-j', 'DROP'],
},
unban: {
cmd: ['iptables', '-w', '-D', 'reaction', '-s', '', '-j', 'DROP'],
after: time,
},
};
{
patterns: {
ip: {
type: 'ipv4',
},
},
start: [
['iptables', '-N', 'reaction'],
['iptables', '-I', 'INPUT', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction'],
['iptables', '-I', 'FORWARD', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction'],
],
stop: [
['iptables', '-D', 'INPUT', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction'],
['iptables', '-D', 'FORWARD', '-p', 'all', '-j', 'reaction'],
['iptables', '-F', 'reaction'],
['iptables', '-X', 'reaction'],
],
streams: {
ssh: {
cmd: ['journalctl', '-fu', 'sshd.service'],
filters: {
failedlogin: {
regex: [
@'authentication failure;.*rhost=',
@'Failed password for .* from ',
@'banner exchange: Connection from port [0-9]*: invalid format',
@'Invalid user .* from ',
],
retry: 3,
retryperiod: '6h',
actions: banFor('48h'),
},
},
},
},
}
```
> It is recommended to setup reaction with [`nftables`](https://reaction.ppom.me/actions/nftables.html)
> or [`ipset` + `iptables`](https://reaction.ppom.me/actions/ipset.html), which are much more performant
> solutions than `iptables` alone.
### Database
The embedded database is stored in the working directory (but can be overriden by the `state_directory` config option).
If you don't know where to start reaction, `/var/lib/reaction` should be a sane choice.
### CLI
- `reaction start` runs the server
- `reaction show` show pending actions (ie. show current bans)
- `reaction flush` permits to run pending actions (ie. clear bans)
- `reaction trigger` permits to manually trigger a filter (ie. run custom ban)
- `reaction test-regex` permits to test regexes
- `reaction test-config` shows loaded configuration
- `reaction help` for full usage.
### old binaries
`ip46tables` and `nft46` binaries are no longer part of reaction. If you really need them, see
[the last commit that included them](https://framagit.org/ppom/reaction/-/tree/b7d997ca5e9a69c8572bb2ec9d27d0eb03b3cb9f/helpers_c).
## Wiki
You'll find more ressources, service configurations, etc. on [the wiki](https://reaction.ppom.me)!
We recommend that you read the ***Good Practices*** chapters before starting.
## Installation
[](https://repology.org/project/reaction-fail2ban/versions)
### Binaries
Executables and .deb packages are provided [in the releases page](https://framagit.org/ppom/reaction/-/releases/), for x86-64/amd64 linux and aarch64/arm64 linux.
Signature verification and installation instructions are provided in the releases page.
> Provided binaries are compiled by running `nix-shell release.py` on a NixOS machine with docker installed.
#### NixOS
reaction is packaged, but the [**module**](https://framagit.org/ppom/nixos/-/blob/main/modules/common/reaction.nix) has not yet been upstreamed.
#### OpenBSD
See the [wiki](https://reaction.ppom.me/configurations/OpenBSD.html).
### Compilation
You'll need a recent rust toolchain for reaction and a c compiler for ip46tables.
```shell
$ make
```
Don't hesitate to take a look at the `Makefile` to understand what's happening!
### Installation
To install the binaries
```shell
make install
```
To install the systemd file as well
```shell
make install_systemd
```
## Contributing
> We, as participants in the open source ecosystem, are ethically responsible for the software
> and hardware we help create - as it can be used to perpetuate inequalities or help empower
> marginalized communities, and fight against patriarchy, capitalism, sexism, gender violence,
> racism, ableism, homophobia, colonialism, fascism, surveillance, and oppressive control.
- [NGI's Diversity and Inclusion Guide](https://nlnet.nl/NGI0/bestpractices/DiversityAndInclusionGuide-v4.pdf)
I'll do my best to maintain a safe contribution place, as free as possible from discrimination and elitism.
### Ideas
Please take a look at issues which have the "Opinion Welcome 👀" label!
*Your opinion is welcome.*
Your ideas are welcome in the issues.
### Code
Contributions are welcome.
For any substantial feature, please file an issue first, to be assured that we agree on the feature, and to avoid unnecessary work.
I recommend reading [`ARCHITECTURE.md`](ARCHITECTURE.md) first. This is a quick tour of the codebase, which should save time to new contributors.
You can also join this Matrix development room: [#reaction-dev-en:club1.fr](https://matrix.to/#/#reaction-dev-en:club1.fr).
French version: [#reaction-dev-fr:club1.fr](https://matrix.to/#/#reaction-dev-fr:club1.fr).
## Help
You can ask for help in the issues or in this Matrix room: [#reaction-users-en:club1.fr](https://matrix.to/#/#reaction-users-en:club1.fr).
French version: [#reaction-users-fr:club1.fr](https://matrix.to/#/#reaction-users-fr:club1.fr).
You can alternatively send a mail: `reaction` on domain `ppom.me`.
## Funding
This project is currenlty funded through the [NGI0 Core](https://nlnet.nl/core) Fund, a fund established by [NLnet](https://nlnet.nl) with financial support from the European Commission's [Next Generation Internet](https://ngi.eu) programme.
