Hi Matthias,

I've been using this patch to fix the can't uncheck a rule problem:

# /var/ipfire/ids-functions.pl
#
--- ids-functions.pl.old
+++ ids-functions.pl.new
@@ -614,8 +614,8 @@
                                # Check if the Provider is set so IPS mode.
                                if ($providers_mode{$provider} eq "IPS") {
                                        # Replacements for sourcefire rules.
-                                       $line =~
s/^#\s*(?:alert|drop)(.+policy balanced-ips alert)/alert${1}/;
-                                       $line =~
s/^#\s*(?:alert|drop)(.+policy balanced-ips drop)/drop${1}/;
+                                       $line =~ s/^(?:alert|drop)(.+policy
balanced-ips alert)/alert${1}/;
+                                       $line =~ s/^(?:alert|drop)(.+policy
balanced-ips drop)/drop${1}/;

                                        # Replacements for generic rules.
                                        $line =~
s/^(#?)\s*(?:alert|drop)/${1}drop/;

Can you see if that helps in your situation?

Jay Lubomirski

On Sat, May 9, 2026 at 12:12 PM Matthias Fischer <
matthias.fischer@ipfire.org> wrote:

> Hi list,
>
> IDS is running with several rulesets, no seen problems, but one set
> always throws this error:
>
> ***SNIP***
> [1433] <Error> -- error parsing signature "drop tcp $EXTERNAL_NET
> $HTTP_PORTS -> $HOME_NET any (msg:"MALWARE-OTHER Win.Trojan.Zeus Spam
> 2013 dated zip/exe HTTP Response - potential malware download";
> flow:to_client,established; content:"-2013.zip|0D 0A|";
> fast_pattern:only; content:"-2013.zip|0D 0A|"; http_header; content:"-";
> within:1; distance:-14; http_header; file_data; content:"-2013.exe";
> content:"-"; within:1; distance:-14; metadata:impact_flag red, policy
> balanced-ips drop, policy max-detect-ips drop, policy security-ips drop,
> ruleset community, service http;
> reference:url,
> www.virustotal.com/en/file/2eff3ee6ac7f5bf85e4ebcbe51974d0708cef666581ef1385c628233614b22c0/analysis/
> ;
> classtype:trojan-activity; sid:26470; rev:2;)" from file
> /var/lib/suricata/community-community.rules at line 2581
> ***SNAP***
>
> Everything is working fine - except for this error message.
>
> So I tried to deactivate this rule - but I can't. Every time I uncheck
> this rule, it gets checked again. No chance. There are others —
> apparently not every rule — who also refuse to get unchecked.
>
> Can anyone confirm?
>
> Best
> Matthias
>
>
>