Features

Current features (0.9.x)

(in addition to 0.8.x features)

• Python based actions
• Database support
• Multi-line parsing in filters
• Custom date time support for filters
• Timezone awareness by default
• Timeout on ban commands
• Character set awareness in log files
• Python3+ support

Current features (0.8.x)

Here is a list of the main features available in Fail2ban.

• Client/Server architecture.
• Multi-threaded.
• Highly configurable using split configuration files
• Gamin/Pyinotify support.
• Parses log files and look for given patterns.
• Executes command(s) when a pattern has been detected for the same IP address for more than X times to ban that address. X can be changed.
• After a given amount of time, execute another command in order to unban the IP address.
• Uses Netfilter/Iptables by default but can also use TCP Wrapper (/etc/hosts.deny) and many other firewalls/actions.
• Handles log files rotation.
• Can handle multiple services at once (sshd, apache, vsftpd, etc).
• Resolves DNS hostname to IP address (use with caution, disable by usedns = no).

Roadmap

Here is the planned roadmap. If you want to contribute or help on one of these features, please contact the fail2ban-users mailing list or browse/comment/report on existing issues on github.

Please browse Fail2ban milestones for an up-to-date list of planned releases/features.

• Add more tags (<LINE>, <USER>, <PORT>) Partially done -- use <MATCHES>. Also see Issue #10 and Issue #67
• Auto-enable feature (activate jail if log file is present)

Other envisioned changes

• Decrease memory usage