netfiltre
Netfiltre, a term often used interchangeably with Netfilter, is a framework built into the Linux kernel that provides packet filtering, network address translation (NAT), and other network-processing facilities. It attaches to several points in the network stack, allowing userspace programs to inspect, alter, or drop packets as they traverse the system.
Core components include nf_tables, nf_conntrack, and a set of userspace tools for configuring rules. nf_tables provides
History and evolution: Netfilter originated in the Linux kernel as part of the Netfilter project, becoming
Typical use cases include firewalling, NAT (DNAT/SNAT), port forwarding, and basic traffic shaping when combined with
Impact and scope: Netfilter is central to Linux-based security and routing deployments, from personal servers to