2.8. Using verdict maps in nftables commands

Procedure

1. Create a new table:

   # nft add table inet example_table

2. Create the tcp_packets chain in example_table:

   # nft add chain inet example_table tcp_packets

3. Add a rule to tcp_packets that counts the traffic in this chain:

   # nft add rule inet example_table tcp_packets counter

4. Create the udp_packets chain in example_table

   # nft add chain inet example_table udp_packets

5. Add a rule to udp_packets that counts the traffic in this chain:

   # nft add rule inet example_table udp_packets counter

6. Create a chain for incoming traffic. For example, to create a chain named incoming_traffic in example_table that filters incoming traffic:

   # nft add chain inet example_table incoming_traffic { type filter hook input priority 0 \; }

7. Add a rule with an anonymous map to incoming_traffic:

   # nft add rule inet example_table incoming_traffic ip protocol vmap { tcp : jump tcp_packets, udp : jump udp_packets }

   The anonymous map distinguishes the packets and sends them to the different counter chains based on their protocol.

8. To list the traffic counters, display example_table:

   # nft list table inet example_table
   table inet example_table {
     chain tcp_packets {
       counter packets 36379 bytes 2103816
     }
   
     chain udp_packets {
       counter packets 10 bytes 1559
     }
   
     chain incoming_traffic {
       type filter hook input priority filter; policy accept;
       ip protocol vmap { tcp : jump tcp_packets, udp : jump udp_packets }
     }
   }

   The counters in the tcp_packets and udp_packets chain display both the number of received packets and bytes.

Procedure

1. Create a table. For example, to create a table named example_table that processes IPv4 packets:

   # nft add table ip example_table

2. Create a chain. For example, to create a chain named example_chain in example_table:

   # nft add chain ip example_table example_chain { type filter hook input priority 0 \; }

   重要

   To prevent the shell from interpreting the semicolons as the end of the command, you must escape the semicolons with a backslash.

3. Create an empty map. For example, to create a map for IPv4 addresses:

   # nft add map ip example_table example_map { type ipv4_addr : verdict \; }

4. Create rules that use the map. For example, the following command adds a rule to example_chain in example_table that applies actions to IPv4 addresses which are both defined in example_map:

   # nft add rule example_table example_chain ip saddr vmap @example_map

5. Add IPv4 addresses and corresponding actions to example_map:

   # nft add element ip example_table example_map { 192.0.2.1 : accept, 192.0.2.2 : drop }

   This example defines the mappings of IPv4 addresses to actions. In combination with the rule created above, the firewall accepts packets from 192.0.2.1 and drops packets from 192.0.2.2.

6. Optional: Enhance the map by adding another IP address and action statement:

   # nft add element ip example_table example_map { 192.0.2.3 : accept }

7. Optional: Remove an entry from the map:

   # nft delete element ip example_table example_map { 192.0.2.1 }

8. Optional: Display the rule set:

   # nft list ruleset
   table ip example_table {
     map example_map {
       type ipv4_addr : verdict
       elements = { 192.0.2.2 : drop, 192.0.2.3 : accept }
     }
   
     chain example_chain {
       type filter hook input priority filter; policy accept;
       ip saddr vmap @example_map
     }
   }