From Wide Open to Locked Down: My Homelab Security Journey

The 'Aha!' Moment: Realizing I Was Wide Open

Hey fellow tech enthusiasts! Let me paint a picture for you. There I was, proudly showcasing my latest Docker container, a shiny new web service running on my homelab, accessible from anywhere. 'How cool is this?' I thought. Then, one quiet evening, while reading a blog post about basic network security, a cold dread started to creep in. I started poking around my router settings, doing some external port scans, and the reality hit me like a ton of bricks: almost everything I had running was directly exposed to the internet. My NAS, my Plex server, my dashboards – all wide open, with only basic password protection. It was a classic case of 'ignorance is bliss' quickly turning into 'oh crap, I need to fix this NOW!'

Phase 1: The Foundation – Network Segmentation with VLANs

My first big lesson? Network segmentation isn't just for big enterprises. It's crucial for homelabs too! Before, everything was on one flat network. My IoT devices, my personal machines, my servers – all chatting freely. This was a huge security risk. If one IoT device got compromised, it could potentially traverse my entire network.

Introducing VLANs

My first major step was to implement VLANs (Virtual LANs). This involved:

• Investing in a proper firewall/router: I swapped out my consumer-grade router for a dedicated firewall appliance running pfSense. This gave me granular control over my network traffic. (OPNsense or UniFi Dream Machine are also excellent options!)

• Configuring a managed switch: My existing dumb switch wouldn't cut it. I upgraded to a managed switch that supported VLAN tagging.

• Defining network segments: I created several VLANs:

• Management VLAN: For accessing my network infrastructure (firewall, switches, access points).

• Server VLAN: For all my homelab servers, VMs, and containers.

• IoT VLAN: For smart home devices that often have questionable security.

• Guest VLAN: For visitors, completely isolated from my internal network.

• Trusted Devices VLAN: For my personal laptops, phones, etc.

The challenge here was setting up all the inter-VLAN routing and firewall rules correctly. I broke internet access a few times, but each time was a valuable learning experience in understanding how traffic flows and how to troubleshoot network issues.

Phase 2: Locking Down Access – Firewalls and VPNs

With my network segmented, the next step was to control who and what could talk to whom, and how.

Strict Firewall Rules

My pfSense box became my gatekeeper. I adopted a 'deny all, permit specific' philosophy. This meant:

• No inbound traffic from the internet unless explicitly allowed.

• Limited inter-VLAN communication: For example, my IoT devices couldn't initiate connections to my Server VLAN. My Trusted Devices VLAN could access my Server VLAN, but not vice versa without specific rules.

• Only necessary ports open: I meticulously reviewed every service and only forwarded the absolute minimum required ports to the internet, and even then, only to a reverse proxy.

Remote Access with VPN

Instead of directly exposing services, I now access most of my homelab remotely via a WireGuard VPN. This creates a secure, encrypted tunnel directly into my network. It means I can securely access my NAS, SSH into my servers, and manage everything as if I were at home, without exposing those services directly to the internet. Setting up WireGuard was surprisingly straightforward and much faster than my previous OpenVPN setup.

Phase 3: Service Hardening and Best Practices

Network security is only part of the battle. Individual services need hardening too.

• Reverse Proxy: For the few services I *do* want to expose externally (e.g., my personal website, a monitoring dashboard), I use Nginx Proxy Manager. This acts as a single entry point, handles SSL certificates (Let's Encrypt integration is a lifesaver!), and can add an extra layer of authentication. All inbound traffic hits the proxy first, never directly to the service.

• Strong Passwords & MFA: This is a no-brainer, but it's easy to get complacent. Every service, every device, every account now has a unique, strong password, often generated by a password manager. Where available, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is enabled.

• Regular Updates: I've made it a habit to regularly update my operating systems, Docker containers, and firmware for all network devices. Patches fix vulnerabilities – don't skip them!

• SSH Key-Based Authentication: For all my Linux servers, I disabled password-based SSH login and exclusively use SSH keys. This significantly reduces the risk of brute-force attacks.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

This journey wasn't without its bumps. I definitely broke things along the way:

• Complexity: Initially, VLANs and firewall rules felt incredibly complex. There was a steep learning curve, and I spent hours troubleshooting why a specific device couldn't access a particular service.

• Over-Securing: At one point, I made my rules so strict that I locked myself out of certain management interfaces. It taught me the importance of having a console connection or a separate management network.

• The Ongoing Battle: Security isn't a 'set it and forget it' thing. New vulnerabilities emerge, new services are added to the lab, and rules need to be reviewed and updated constantly.

But through all this, I learned so much. I gained a deeper understanding of networking, firewalls, and the principles of least privilege. The satisfaction of knowing my homelab is now significantly more secure than it was before is immense.

Final Thoughts: Your Lab, Your Responsibility

If you're running a homelab, take the time to secure it. It's not just about protecting your data; it's about protecting yourself and your internet connection from being exploited. Start small, perhaps with a dedicated firewall and one or two VLANs, and build up from there. There are tons of resources out there, and the homelab community is incredibly supportive. Your future secure self will thank you!