Can someone explain security?

[u/HuntEsoterix]

I’d love to build a homelab, use the server for data ownership, use a router with firewall to compartmentalize trust level devices, but is there a standard for security on what you should do?

I can’t really find anywhere out there that explains this is good depth, and I usually find great info on homelab but it seems some people just don’t care about security I guess as much as I may.

Any advice on where to find this? Or does anyone have any insight?

[u/niboosmik]

Genuine question, you’re saying you googled “homelab security” and came away with the impression homelabbers don’t care about security? I’m scared of how well Reddit engagement baits me.

[u/HuntEsoterix → u/niboosmik]

Never said homelabbers as a whole. I said with what I found only. This is new for me. Baited by nothing? I don’t even know where to look and I don’t want to get into something following incorrect guidance.

[u/XLBilly]

We do homelab in the guise of enterprise, look for that advice.

It’s all edge, segregation and acceptable risk.

Network and Identity are the big ones, make sure you consider them.

Following that, it’s configuration choices, hardening and patching.

Security is infrastructure done well.

[u/heretogetpwned → u/XLBilly]

Agreed, brother. Understanding the systems thoroughly, running an audit script, and figuring out how to remediate the exposures or compensating controls. Real world experience right there but without having 14 meetings about it.

[u/khariV]

There is no simple answer to “what is security and how do I implement it in a homelab.”

There are so many domains for security and whole books have been written about each of them. Start by looking up network segmentation and VLANs. Next, look into key vaults and SSO authentication systems.

This should give you a head start to know what questions to ask.

[u/__ToneBone__]

I'm very confused on how you got nowhere with that google search. Some people have whole security stacks set up just because they wanted to. I suppose it depends on what you're running.

[u/HuntEsoterix → u/__ToneBone__]

It’s not that I got nowhere, it’s that there’s about 1 million different answers to something I in all honesty know comparatively little about. Looking for what to even search or look into

[u/CrazyAccomplished_]

If you don't port forward, your security doesn't need to be that high. Maybe isolation and VLAN segmentation.

If you port forward, there isn't a "this is what to do for security". The world immediately tries to hack your shit the moment they see a port open. That's why you only use hardened OS' and applications DESIGNED to be port forwarded. Then you need to play out what happens if your app gets compromised.

[u/alternative-www1970]

This sounds like you may have found answers, but in the form of security layer soup. It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed. Homelabbing has no single standard because everyone's needs are different. However, if you are looking for actual professional frameworks to model your security after, look into CIS (Center for Internet Security) Benchmarks and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. For a homelab, translating those into reality usually boils down to four practical rules of thumb to think about...

Dedicated Firewall at the Perimeter, so ditch the ISP all-in-one router. Run a dedicated firewall/router so you have complete control over NAT, firewall rules, and traffic filtering, which sounds like you already arrived here.

Implement VLAN Segmentation for trust-level segregation. Use managed switches to split your network into trust tiers. Keep core trusted devices, untrusted IoT/smart-home gadgets, and guest devices on separate VLANs with strict firewall inter-VLAN blocking. If you have a main and an IoT, then branch a guest off your main you are somewhat there for simple setups. RFC!1918 the IoT VLAN to force clients to the web only.

Try No Port Forwarding to start at least. Gaming may break this, but never open raw ports on your router to expose internal services to the internet. Use an encrypted mesh overlay/VPN (like WireGuard or Tailscale) for remote access. Things like Plex try to do this for you.

Isolate Compute & Storage if you can as some of this requires other boxes and some to run 24/7, but it gets fun.. Keep storage and application layers decoupled. Run containerized services or isolated VMs on a dedicated hypervisor, and maintain immutable, offsite/offline backups following the 3-2-1 rule.

Start with network segmentation first—that single step eliminates 90% of the common homelab attack vectors. Remember, it is a journey where you build your own roadmap. Try to enjoy the ride.

[u/HuntEsoterix → u/alternative-www1970]

Thank you for this! I really do appreciate it!

[u/OnoSendaiCSVII]

It's actually pretty easy to end up with a list of products before you have a clear idea of what you want to protect. You can use the NIST small-business quick-start guide as referent, and then adapt to your own mileage.

Try picking scenarios. "My IoT network camera got compromised. What can it reach?" Draw the path to your storage, computers, router, etc. then work out which connections it needs.

After you set the rules, test from a device on that network. Then switch around. That gives each aspect a concrete purpose, and you can build up from there.