- How do I install m6web/firewall in a Laravel app?
- Install it with Composer using the m6web/firewall package name, then register a Laravel middleware or service provider adapter in your app. Because the package predates current Laravel releases and is archived, validate Composer resolution against your PHP and Laravel versions first. Treat the integration as a thin adapter rather than a direct framework dependency.
- Does m6web/firewall support Laravel 10 or Laravel 11?
- There is no active upstream support for current Laravel versions; the last release was in 2019 and the package is archived. It may work only through an adapter and after compatibility patches, so you must prove support with your PHP and Laravel matrix. Do not assume Laravel 10 or 11 compatibility without tests.
- How do I configure IP blacklist and whitelist rules?
- Configuration is based on blacklist and whitelist entries managed through a config file, with whitelist exceptions intended to bypass filtering. In Laravel you would map those rules into your own config object behind middleware. Validate IPv4, IPv6, CIDR boundaries, and whether the allowlist fails closed or open before relying on it.
- Can I return a custom 403, 404, or redirect for blocked IPs?
- Yes, the package is described as supporting customizable denial responses, including HTTP status codes and redirects. In Laravel, keep that response logic in your adapter middleware so it matches your app's error handling. Test the behavior for both blocked and whitelisted clients.
- Does m6web/firewall handle IPv6 and CIDR ranges correctly?
- The package's IP-filtering behavior must be explicitly validated for IPv6 and CIDR boundaries in your topology. The technical assessment flags IPv6 and CIDR parsing as areas to test rather than assume. Add regression tests for edge addresses and malformed values before production use.
- How does m6web/firewall handle X-Forwarded-For and trusted proxies?
- IP filtering is easy to misconfigure around X-Forwarded-For and trusted proxies, and the assessment calls out proxy headers as a key risk. Your middleware adapter should only trust forwarding headers from known proxies and should have tests for spoofed headers. Do not let client-supplied headers decide allow or deny outcomes.
- Is m6web/firewall still maintained?
- No. It is deprecated and archived, last released in 2019, with low community signal and no active maintainer support. There will be no upstream security patches or Laravel compatibility updates. If you use it, budget for internal ownership, dependency scanning, and a fork or exit plan.
- What are good alternatives to m6web/firewall for Laravel IP blocking?
- For new builds, prefer maintained Laravel middleware, cloud security groups, load balancer rules, or a WAF at the edge. Laravel's own middleware stack plus a maintained IP allow and deny package is usually safer than an archived library. Choose an alternative based on whether you need application-level rules or network-level controls.
- How should I test m6web/firewall in a Laravel application?
- Wrap the library in your own middleware and write feature tests for allowed IPs, denied IPs, whitelist bypass, custom responses, IPv6, CIDR edges, and spoofed forwarding headers. Include fail-closed tests for whitelist behavior and fail-open behavior for denylists. Run a non-production proof of concept before a feature-flagged pilot.
- Can I use m6web/firewall in production?
- Only with high caution. It is a security-sensitive, deprecated, archived package with no upstream patches, so production use requires a risk register, internal ownership, monitoring, and a scheduled replacement or formal risk acceptance. For new applications, do not adopt it; use maintained framework or edge controls instead.