mod_security: How to allow ssh/http access for admin?

Question

I am going to be installing mod_security on my AWS EC2 Linux instance tonight and need a little help/reassurance. The only thing I am truly worried about right now is making sure my (admin) access to the instance and webserver is maintained w/o compromising security. I use ssh (port 22) and http (80) to access this and I've read horror stories from other EC2 users claiming they were locked out of their sites once they put up a [edit] web application firewall.

So my question boils down to:

What settings should I put in the mod_security conf file to make sure I can get in on those ports? IP at home is not static. (Hence the issue)

Thanks so, so, so much.

PS I am super new to this, so hand-holding is okay by me.

`mod_security` is not a firewall. – womble Apr 04 '12 at 23:19 — womble, Apr 04 '12 at 23:19
OK sorry about that… I thought it was a WAF? – mattesque Apr 04 '12 at 23:29 — mattesque, Apr 04 '12 at 23:29
Yes, and a WAF is not a firewall. – womble Apr 05 '12 at 05:53 — womble, Apr 05 '12 at 05:53

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 04 '12 at 23:51

3

mod_security is a WAF, but not a F. You are mixing technologies in your post:

I use ssh (port 22) and http (80) to access this and I've read horror stories from other EC2 users claiming they were locked out of their sites once they put up a firewall.

The WAF inspects web traffic, that is to say, HTTP. It will have no effect on other Layer 7 (application layer) traffic, or any other layer of TCP/IP communications including port numbers.

answered Apr 04 '12 at 23:51

Wesley

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Thanks! And sorry about the mixing of tech… like I said, I'm learning all of this. I appreciate your clarification. – mattesque Apr 05 '12 at 12:50
@mattesque We were all there once. =) Don't forget to mark it as the accepted answer if it answered your question for the benefit of future readers. – Wesley Apr 05 '12 at 15:48

mod_security: How to allow ssh/http access for admin?

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