Centos 7 Firewall Disable

4 min read Oct 12, 2024

How to Disable the Firewall in CentOS 7

CentOS 7, like many Linux distributions, uses firewalld as its default firewall service. Firewalld provides a flexible and secure way to control network access to your system. However, there might be situations where you need to temporarily disable the firewall for troubleshooting or testing purposes.

Important Note: Disabling the firewall completely can leave your system vulnerable to attacks. It's crucial to understand the risks involved and only disable the firewall when absolutely necessary. It's strongly recommended to re-enable the firewall as soon as your task is completed.

Here are the steps on how to disable the firewall in CentOS 7:

Using the Firewalld Command-line Interface

Check the Firewall Status:
```
sudo firewall-cmd --state
```
This command will output "running" if the firewall is active.
Stop the Firewalld Service:
```
sudo systemctl stop firewalld
```
This command stops the firewalld service immediately.
Disable Firewalld on System Startup:
```
sudo systemctl disable firewalld
```
This command ensures that the firewalld service doesn't start automatically when the system boots up.
Verify the Firewall Status:
```
sudo firewall-cmd --state
```
After performing the above steps, this command should output "not running".

Using the systemctl Command

Alternatively, you can also use the systemctl command to directly stop and disable the firewalld service:

Stop the Firewalld Service:
```
sudo systemctl stop firewalld.service
```

Disable Firewalld on System Startup:

sudo systemctl disable firewalld.service

Disabling the Firewall Temporarily

If you only need to disable the firewall for a short period, you can use the following command:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --disable

This command disables the firewall permanently, but only until the next system reboot. The firewall will be re-enabled automatically after restarting your system.

Re-enabling the Firewall

To re-enable the firewall, use the following command:

sudo systemctl enable firewalld
sudo systemctl start firewalld

These commands will re-enable the firewalld service and ensure it starts automatically on system startup.

Conclusion

Disabling the firewall in CentOS 7 should be done with caution, as it can significantly increase your system's vulnerability. Only disable the firewall when absolutely necessary, and re-enable it as soon as you're done. Always prioritize security by using a firewall and configuring it appropriately for your specific needs.