Open Source Linux Firewall IPFire 2.29 – Core Update 194 Released: What’s New!

IPFire, the powerful open-source firewall, has unveiled its latest release, IPFire 2.29 – Core Update 194, packed with security enhancements, performance improvements, and new features to safeguard networks of all sizes.

Renowned for its robust feature set, IPFire continues to deliver a secure, high-performance platform focused on usability and reliability.

It’s been a month since the release of IPFire 2.29—Core Update 193, This update rebases the IPFire kernel to Linux 6.12.23, incorporating vital security and stability fixes.

Stephen Cuka contributed a significant overhaul of the Pakfire page, which introduces clearer controls and improved translations for a more intuitive user experience across multiple languages.

Key firewall improvements include fixing the problem of outgoing connections using Alias IP addresses from being NATed to the default IP on RED, ensuring precise network configurations.

The IPsec host certificate renewal process has also been refined to update internal files, enhancing secure communications properly.

IPFire 2.29 transitions from libidn to libidn2 across the distribution for better functionality and includes a comprehensive package update to address vulnerabilities and optimize performance.

Notable updates include expat 2.7.1 (fixing CVE-2024-8176), xz 5.8.1 (fixing CVE-2025-31115), BIND 9.20.8, cairo 1.18.4, harfbuzz 11.0.0, and suricata 7.0.10.

The Zabbix monitoring tool has been upgraded to 7.0.11 LTS, a major release that moves to the next long-term support version but is incompatible with Zabbix Server 6.x.

Add-ons have also been refreshed, with updates to Bacula 15.0.2, FFmpeg 7.1.1, Git 2.49.0, Samba 4.22.0, and more, ensuring compatibility and enhanced functionality.

IPFire’s Core Features:

• Stateful-Inspection Firewall: Built on Linux Netfilter for robust network protection.
• Intrusion Detection & Prevention: Powered by Suricata to detect and mitigate threats.
• VPN Support: Includes IPsec, OpenVPN, and WireGuard for secure remote access.
• Advanced Networking: Features advanced routing and Quality of Service (QoS) for optimized traffic management.
• Proxy with Content Filtering: Offers content filtering and large update caching for efficient network management.
• Secure Update System: Ensures safe and reliable updates with a hardened userland.

The IPFire team strongly recommends installing Core Update 194 as soon as possible to leverage these critical security patches and enhancements.

This release reflects the tireless efforts of the IPFire community, including testers, contributors, and supporters who drive the project’s success.

Visit the project’s website to learn more about IPFire’s capabilities or to support its mission. Download here and update now to keep your network secure and performing at its best!

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