When setting up a private IRC server with dancer-ircd, we typically need either of these security models:

• Global password authentication for all connections
• Individual user registration with admin approval

Edit the dancer-ircd configuration file (typically at /etc/dancer-ircd/ircd.conf):

auth {
    password = "your_secure_password_here";
    spoof = "no";
    use_ssl = "yes";
};

This requires all clients to authenticate with the specified password during connection:

/connect irc.yourserver.com 6667 your_secure_password_here

For individual user accounts using dancer-services:

service {
    nickname = "NickServ";
    user = "services";
    host = "services.yournetwork.com";
    modes = "+s";
};

register {
    email_required = "yes";
    admin_approval = "yes";
};

Set up the admin approval process in /etc/dancer-services/services.conf:

registration {
    require_admin_approval = yes;
    admin_notify = "your@email.com";
    approval_command = "/msg NickServ APPROVE <account>";
};

New users would follow this sequence:

/msg NickServ REGISTER password youremail@example.com

As admin, you'd then approve with:

/msg NickServ APPROVE username

Consider adding these protections:

connection {
    max_connections = 50;
    throttle = "yes";
    flood = "10:60";
};

ban {
    mask = "*!*@*";
    reason = "Unauthorized Access";
    exception = "trusted_users.txt";
};

For larger groups, create a script to manage users:

#!/bin/bash
# add_irc_user.sh
USER=$1
PASS=$(openssl rand -base64 12)

echo "$USER:$PASS" >> /etc/dancer-ircd/users.db
echo "User $USER added with password $PASS"

---

When setting up a private IRC server using dancer-ircd on Ubuntu, the default configuration allows open connections. For a friends-only environment, we need to implement authentication mechanisms. There are two primary approaches:

• Global password protection (simpler)
• Individual username/password with nick registration (more granular)

Edit your /etc/dancer-ircd/ircd.conf file:

password = "your_secure_password_here";
class "users" {
    password = "your_secure_password_here";
    host = "*";
    max number = 100;
};

Then restart the service:

sudo systemctl restart dancer-ircd

For more controlled access using dancer-services:

service {
    name = "NickServ";
    user = "services";
    host = "services.yournetwork.com";
    command = "/usr/lib/dancer-services/nickserv";
};

Configure registration settings in /etc/dancer-services/services.conf:

NickServ {
    Registration = "yes";
    RequireAuth = "yes";
    MaxUsers = 50; // Adjust for your group size
};

Create an access list in ircd.conf to restrict connections:

allow {
    ip = "192.168.1.*"; // Example LAN range
    password = "optional_lan_password";
    class = "users";
};

allow {
    hostname = "*.friendsdomain.com";
    password = "friendspassword";
    class = "users";
};

Set up operator privileges for management:

oper "adminnick" {
    password = "operpassword";
    host = "*@*";
    flags = "all";
};

For automatic processing of registered users, create a script:

#!/bin/bash
# /usr/local/bin/irc_user_approval.sh

NEW_USER=$1
if grep -q "$NEW_USER" /etc/dancer-ircd/approved_users.txt; then
    echo "/msg NickServ APPROVE $NEW_USER" >> /var/lib/dancer-services/in
fi

Set up a cron job to run this periodically against newly registered nicks.

Additional hardening measures:

// In ircd.conf
klines {
    "*.badisp.com";
    "spammer*@*";
    duration = "7d";
};

throttle {
    connections = 3;
    period = "60s";
};

Remember to:

1. Use TLS encryption (configure SSL in ircd.conf)
2. Set appropriate file permissions
3. Regularly update both dancer-ircd and dancer-services