mod_security config GUI

• GUI to define SecRuleRemoveById settings on a vhost-basis
• Tries to suggest false positives from error and audit logs
• And configure mod_security and CoreRuleSet variables.
• Runs locally, via ssh -X forwarding, or per modseccfg ssh:/ remoting.

WARNING: THIS IS ALPHA STAGE QUALITY AND WILL MOST CERTAINLY DELETE YOUR APACHE CONFIGURATION - It doesn't, but: no warranty and such. - Also, hasn't many features yet.

Installation

• You can install this package locally or on a server:

  pip3 install -U modseccfg
  

• And your distro must provide a full Python installaton and mod_security:

  sudo apt install python3-tk ttf-unifont libapache2-mod-security2
  

Start options

• To run the GUI locally / on test setups:

  modseccfg
  

• Or to connect to a remote server:

  modseccfg root@vps5:/
  

Takes a bit longer on startup, but is heaps better than X11 forwarding.

Usage

You obviously should have Apache + mod_security + CRS set up and running already (in DetectionOnly mode initially), to allow for log inspection and adapting rules.

1. Start modseccfg (python3 -m modseccfg)
2. Select a configuration/vhost file to inspect + work on.
3. Pick the according error.log
4. Inspect the rules with a high error count.
5. [Disable] offending rules
   • Don't just go by the error count however!
   • Make sure you don't disable essential or heuristic rules.
   • Compare error with access log details.
   • Else craft an exception rule ([Modify] or →Recipes).
6. Thenceforth restart Apache (after testing changes: apache2ctl -t).

See also:

• usage
• remoting
• preconf setup and recipes
• log scripts/
• or the "FAQ"

Notes

• Preferrably do not edit default /etc/apache* files
• Work on separated /srv/web/conf.d/* configuration, if available
• And keep vhost settings in e.g. vhost.*.dir files, rather than multiple <VirtualHost> in one *.conf (else only the first section will be augmented).
• Use the editor (F4) to verify more complex settings.

Missing features

• Rule [modify] is still unimplemented.
• Recipes are not worth using yet.
• No sudo usage.