please explain "--state RELATED/ESTABLISHED" rules in iptables

[Christian Seberino]

My firewall iptables script has rules
to drop lots of packets and only forward
certain packets.....

I've seen lots of iptables scripts that
have rules with "--state RELATED"
and "--state ESTABLISHED".

I know these have to do with TCP packets
related to an existing TCP connection and such.

*What* are these rules good for?  I didn't
use them and couldn't see a need for them.

Chris

-- 
_______________________________________

Dr. Christian Seberino
SPAWAR Systems Center San Diego
Code 2363
53560 Hull Street
San Diego, CA 92152-5001
U.S.A.

Phone: (619) 553-7940
Fax:   (619) 553-2836
Email: seberino@spawar.navy.mil
_______________________________________