Document ID: 15246
Updated: Nov 03, 2009
Contents
Introduction
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) pings and traceroute on the PIX Firewall are handled differently based on the version of PIX and ASA code.
Inbound ICMP through the PIX/ASA is denied by default. Outbound ICMP is permitted, but the incoming reply is denied by default.
Note: The information in the Make the Firewall Show Up in a Traceroute in ASA/PIX section of this document applies to ASA versions 8.0(3) and later. Versions prior to 8.0(3) do not support the configuration explained in this section due to the bug CSCsk76401 (registered customers only) .
Prerequisites
Requirements
There are no specific prerequisites for this document.
Components Used
The information in this document is based on these software and hardware versions:
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PIX software versions 4.1(6) and later
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Cisco ASA 5500 Series Security Appliance that runs 7.x and later versions for ICMP Pings
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Cisco ASA 5500 Series Security Appliance that runs 8.0(3) and later versions for Traceroute in ASA
The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, make sure that you understand the potential impact of any command.
Conventions
Refer to the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions for more information on document conventions.
Network Diagram
Note: The IP addressing schemes used in this configuration are not legally routable on the Internet. They are RFC 1918 addresses which have been used in a lab environment.
Send a Ping Through the PIX
PIX/ASA Software Versions 7.x
Pings Inbound
Pings initiated from the outside, or another low security interface of the PIX, are denied be default. The pings can be allowed by the use of static and access lists or access lists alone. In this example, one server on the inside of the PIX is made accessible to external pings. A static translation is created between the inside address (10.1.1.5) and the outside address (192.168.1.5).
pix(config)#static (inside,outside) 192.168.1.5 10.1.1.5 netmask 255.255.255.255 pix(config)#access-list 101 permit icmp any host 192.168.1.5 echo pix(config)#access-group 101 in interface outside
Pings Outbound
There are two options in PIX 7.x that allow inside users to ping hosts on the outside. The first option is to setup a specific rule for each type of echo message.
For example:
access-list 101 permit icmp any any echo-reply access-list 101 permit icmp any any source-quench access-list 101 permit icmp any any unreachable access-list 101 permit icmp any any time-exceeded access-group 101 in interface outside
This allows only these return messages through the firewall when an inside user pings to an outside host. The other types of ICMP status messages might be hostile and the firewall blocks all other ICMP messages.
Another option is to configure ICMP inspection. This allows a trusted IP address to traverse the firewall and allows replies back to the trusted address only. This way, hosts on all inside interfaces can ping hosts on the outside and the firewall allows the replies to return. This also gives you the advantage of monitoring the ICMP traffic that traverses the firewall. In this example, icmp inspection is added to the default global inspection policy.
For example:
policy-map global_policy
class inspection_default
inspect icmp
Pinging Another Interface
The management-access command allows users to connect to the management-access interface from the outside ONLY when the user is connected to PIX/ASA using a full tunnel IPSec VPN or SSL VPN client (AnyConnect 2.x client, SVC 1.x) or across a site-to-site IPSec tunnel.
The inside interface of the PIX cannot be accessed from the outside, and vice-versa, unless the management-access is configured in global configuration mode. Once management-access is enabled, Telnet, SSH, or HTTP access must be configured for the desired hosts.
pix(config)#management-access inside pix(config)#show running-config management-access management-access inside
Note: For the ASA, ICMP types of 127 and below have hard-coded inspection that cannot be turned off. The inspect icmp command has no affect on this inspection when it is on or off.
Note: A destination unreachable message being sent one way across the ASA referencing a packet that has not already traversed the ASA will be flagged and stopped. This protective ability cannot be turned off.
PIX Software Versions 5.0.1 Through 6.3.3
Inbound ICMP through the PIX is denied by default; outbound ICMP is permitted, but the incoming reply is denied by default.
Note: Version 6.3.3 is the most recent version of code available at the time of publication. For later versions, refer to the release notes for any possible changes.
Pings Inbound
Inbound ICMP can be permitted with either a conduit statement or an access-list statement, based on which you use on the PIX. Do not mix conduits and access lists.
This example shows how to permit ICMP of device 10.1.1.5 inside (static to 192.168.1.5) by all devices outside:
static (inside,outside) 192.168.1.5 10.1.1.5 netmask 255.255.255.255 0 0 !--- and either conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 echo !--- or access-list 101 permit icmp any host 192.168.1.5 echo access-group 101 in interface outside
Pings Outbound
Responses to outbound ICMP can be permitted with either a conduit statement or an access-list statement, based on which you use on the PIX. Do not mix conduits and access lists.
This example shows how to permit responses to ICMP requests initiated by device 10.1.1.5 inside (static to 192.168.1.5) from all devices outside:
static (inside,outside) 192.168.1.5 10.1.1.5 netmask 255.255.255.255 0 0 !--- and either conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 echo-reply conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 source-quench conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 unreachable conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 time-exceeded !--- or access-list 101 permit icmp any host 192.168.1.5 echo-reply access-list 101 permit icmp any host 192.168.1.5 source-quench access-list 101 permit icmp any host 192.168.1.5 unreachable access-list 101 permit icmp any host 192.168.1.5 time-exceeded access-group 101 in interface outside
PIX Software Versions 4.2(2) to 5.0.1
Inbound ICMP through the PIX is denied by default. Outbound ICMP is permitted, but the incoming reply is denied by default.
Pings Inbound
Inbound ICMP can be permitted with a conduit statement.
This example shows how to permit ICMP of device 10.1.1.5 inside (static to 192.168.1.5) by all devices outside:
static (inside,outside) 192.168.1.5 10.1.1.5 netmask 255.255.255.255 0 0 conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 echo
Pings Outbound
Responses to outbound ICMP can be permitted with a conduit statement.
This example shows how to permit responses to ICMP requests initiated by device 10.1.1.5 inside (static to 192.168.1.5) from all devices outside:
static (inside,outside) 192.168.1.5 10.1.1.5 netmask 255.255.255.255 0 0 conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 echo-reply conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 source-quench conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 unreachable conduit permit icmp 192.168.1.5 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 time-exceeded
PIX Software Versions 4.1(6) to 4.2(2)
Inbound ICMP through the PIX is denied by default. Outbound ICMP is permitted by default.
Pings Inbound
Inbound ICMP can be permitted with a conduit statement.
This example shows how to permit ICMP of device 10.1.1.5 inside (static to 192.168.1.5) by all devices outside:
static (inside), outside) 192.168.1.5 10.1.1.5 conduit 192.168.1.5 8 icmp 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 !--- The 8 is for echo request; these are from RFC 792.
See the ICMP Message Types (RFC 792) section of this document for more information.
Pings Outbound
Outbound ICMP and responses are permitted by default.
Send Pings to the PIX Interfaces
In PIX Software versions 4.1(6) to 5.2.1, ICMP traffic to the PIX interface is permitted. The PIX cannot be configured to not respond. You are not able to ping interfaces on the "far side" of the PIX in any version. Based on the network diagram in this document:
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You are not able to ping 10.1.1.1 from 10.1.1.5.
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You are not able to ping 192.168.1.1 from the outside.
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You are not be able to ping 192.168.1.1 from 10.1.1.5.
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You are not able to ping 10.1.1.1 from the outside.
In PIX Software versions 5.2.1, ICMP is still permitted by default, but PIX ping responses from its own interfaces can be disabled with the icmp command (that is, a "stealth PIX").
icmp permit|deny [host] src_addr [src_mask] [type] int_name
In this example, the PIX cannot send echo replies in response to echo requests:
icmp deny any echo outside
As with access lists, in the absence of permit statements, there is also an implicit deny of all other ICMP traffic.
This command permits pings from the network immediately outside the PIX:
icmp permit 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 echo outside
As with access lists, in the absence of permit statements, there is also an implicit deny of all other ICMP traffic.
The traceroute Command Inbound Through the PIX
Problem: The PIX Firewall hides all internal networks in the output of inbound traceroutes.
Resolution:
The PIX does not support the traceroute command. When a traceroute is issued from the outside, the PIX does not display its own interface IP address nor does it display the IP addresses of the inside networks. The destination address is displayed multiple times for each internal hop.
Traceroutes work only with static Network Address Translations (NATs) and not with Port Address Translation (PAT) IP addresses. For example, a client on the Internet with the address 209.165.202.130 performs a traceroute to a web server on the inside of the PIX with a public address of 209.165.201.25 and a private address of 10.1.3.25. There are two routers between the PIX and the internal web server. The traceroute output on the client machine appears this way:
Target IP address: 209.165.201.25 Source address: 209.165.202.130 Tracing the route to 209.165.201.25 1 209.165.202.128 4 msec 3 msec 4 msec 2 209.165.201.25 3 msec 5 msec 0 msec 3 209.165.201.25 4 msec 6 msec 3 msec 4 209.165.201.25 3 msec 2 msec 2 msec
In PIX version 6.3 and later, this behavior can be undone if the fixup protocol icmp error command is issued. When this feature is enabled, the PIX creates xlates for intermediate hops that send Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) error messages, based on the static NAT configuration. The PIX overwrites the packet with the translated IP addresses.
When NAT is enabled in PIX 7.0, the IP addresses of the PIX interfaces and the real IP addresses of the intermediate hops cannot be seen. However, in PIX 7.0, NAT is not essential and can be disabled with the no nat-control command. If the NAT rule is removed, the real IP address can be seen if it is a routeable one.
Configure the PIX/ASA to show its internal network from the outside network:
ciscoasa#config t ciscoasa(config)#access-list internal-out permit icmp any any echo-reply ciscoasa(config)#access-list internal-out permit icmp any any time-exceeded ciscoasa(config)#access-list internal-out permit icmp any any unreachable ciscoasa(config)#policy-map global_policy ciscoasa(config-pmap)#class inspection_default ciscoasa(config-pmap-c)# inspect icmp ciscoasa(config-pmap-c)# inspect icmp error ciscoasa(config-pmap-c)#end ciscoasa(config)#service-policy global_policy global ciscoasa(config)#access-group internal-out in interface outside
For more information, refer to the The traceroute Command Inbound Through the PIX section of The PIX and the traceroute Command.
Make the Firewall Show Up in a Traceroute in ASA/PIX
ciscoasa(config)#class-map class-default ciscoasa(config)#match any !--- This class-map exists by default. ciscoasa(config)#policy-map global_policy !--- This Policy-map exists by default. ciscoasa(config-pmap)#class class-default !--- Add another class-map to this policy. ciscoasa(config-pmap-c)#set connection decrement-ttl !--- Decrement the IP TTL field for packets traversing the firewall. !--- By default, the TTL is not decrement hiding (somewhat) the firewall. ciscoasa(config-pmap-c)#exit ciscoasa(config-pmap)#exit ciscoasa(config)#service-policy global_policy global !--- This service-policy exists by default. WARNING: Policy map global_policy is already configured as a service policy ciscoasa(config)#icmp unreachable rate-limit 10 burst-size 5 !--- Adjust ICMP unreachable replies: !--- The default is rate-limit 1 burst-size 1. !--- The default will result in timeouts for the ASA hop: ciscoasa(config)#access-list outside-in-acl remark Allow ICMP Type 11 for Windows tracert ciscoasa(config)#access-list outside-in-acl extended permit icmp any any time-exceeded !--- The access-list is for the far end of the ICMP traffic (in this case !---the outside interface) needs to be modified in order to allow ICMP type 11 replies !--- time-exceeded): ciscoasa(config)#access-group outside-in-acl in interface outside !--- Apply access-list to the outside interface. ciscoasa(config)#
Example
Topology
Note: The IP address schemes used in this configuration are not legally routable on the Internet. They are RFC 1918 addresses which were used in a lab environment.
Before you apply the policy change:
C:\>tracert -d www.yahoo.com.
Tracing route to www.yahoo-ht3.akadns.net [192.168.93.52]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 172.16.2.1
!--- First shown hop is Router 1
2 6 ms 6 ms 5 ms 192.168.100.101
(etc...)
After you apply the policy change:
C:\>tracert -d www.yahoo.com. Tracing route to www.yahoo-ht3.akadns.net [192.168.93.52] over a maximum of 30 hops: 1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 172.16.2.254 !--- First shown hop is ASA 2 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 172.16.2.1 !--- Router 1 is now second hop 3 6 ms 6 ms 6 ms 192.168.100.101 (etc...)
Error Message - 313005
Error Message
%PIX|ASA-4-313005: No matching connection for ICMP error message: icmp_msg_info on interface_name interface. Original IP payload: embedded_frame_info icmp_msg_info = icmp src src_interface_name:src_address dst dest_interface_name:dest_address (type icmp_type, code icmp_code) embedded_frame_info = prot src source_address/source_port dst dest_address/dest_port
Explanation
ICMP error packets are dropped by the security appliance because the ICMP error messages are not related to any session already established in the security appliance.
Recommended Action
If the cause is an attack, you can deny the host with ACLs.
ICMP Message Types (RFC 792)
| Message Number | Message |
|---|---|
| 0 | Echo Reply |
| 3 | Destination Unreachable |
| 4 | Source Quench |
| 5 | Redirect |
| 8 | Echo |
| 11 | Time Exceeded |
| 12 | Parameter Problem |
| 13 | Timestamp |
| 14 | Timestamp Reply |
| 15 | Information Request |
| 16 | Information Reply |
Information to Collect if You Open a Service Request
| If you still need assistance after following the troubleshooting steps above and want to open a service request with the Cisco TAC, be sure to include the following information for troubleshooting your PIX Firewall. |
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Related Information
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Refer to Cisco Technical Tips Conventions for information on conventions used in this document.