Re: Sonic Wall logs and privacy issues

From: Lars M. Hansen (badnews@hansenonline.net)
Date: 01/31/03 

From: Lars M. Hansen <badnews@hansenonline.net>
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 11:27:02 GMT

On 30 Jan 2003 13:08:50 -0800, Abby spoketh

>Im a little confused and pehaps a bit paranoid on how the Sonicwall
>firmware works when sending logs. I am a remote home office - a larger
>firm has supplied me with a tele3 tz which I use to connect to a vpn.
>
>I am suspecting that detailed logs are sent or acessed and that Im
>being watched. When I try to login to the IP of the tele3 tz to check
>settings and use "admin and "password" I'm unsucessful although I can
>see web login screen. Heres what I want to know in order to protect my
>privacy....
>
>How does the sonicwall send the log? - does it require that my machine
>be on or can it access the box directly at any time?
>
>Could a program like Zone alarm block the log in any way?
>
>Could I wire the box in a way to keep my home usage out of logs?
>
>Is there a way that track the activity of sonic wall without admin
>privilages to see what its up to?
>
>Thanks
>
>Abby

I see no reason why your company should log what the Sonicwall refers to
as "regular traffic" (meaning your web browsing, etc). Logging events
like port scans or system messages is more appropriate, and these does
not contain any information about your browsing habits (unless they have
filtering turned on, and you're violating the filter; not something I
would expect them to do on a firewall for home use.)

If they are logging anything at all, they would see your attempts at
logging into the Sonicwall, and I'm surprised they haven't talked to you
about it ... perhaps they aren't looking at the logs at all.

Lars M. Hansen
http://www.hansenonline.net
(replace 'badnews' with 'news' in e-mail address)

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