2004-08-24
Here is how to force listening on a specific address for some applications.

(This documentation is tested on Debian GNU/Linux, but it could be easy to
achieve teh same thinks on other plateform hosting the same software by
generally only changing files paths)


Examples to listen only on 127.0.0.1

* Postgresql

 In /etc/postgresql/postgresql.conf:

 virtual_host = '127.0.0.1'

* Mysql

 In /etc/mysql/my.cnf

 bind-address = 127.0.0.1

 * Services using inetd
   o Install xinetd as a replacement for inetd ;-)
   o Put this in the section corresponding to the service you wan't to restrict
 
 bind = 127.0.0.1

 * snmpd

 In /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf

 agentaddress 161@127.0.0.1
 (port@address)

 Note:
 In default Debian woody installation, it could be usefull to disable snmptrapd
 (if not used), you can do this by changing "TRAPDRUN" to "no" in
 /etc/default/snmpd
 In default snmpd compile on debian woody, smux is enabled and so still listen
 on his port... I know no easy way to deactivate this without rebuilding the
 package...

* Proftpd

 It doesn't seems to be possible. There is a "Bind" option allowed in
 configuration file, but it seems to be designed to allow bind on other ips
 than your default ones, not to restrict binding.