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No. I don't understand why this confuses you so. It can track everywhere you go on any computer that you use with it, technically through it. But it cannot reach out and look at stuff on your computer.
Curious what brand this firewall is. Do you work for the government or something? I've never heard of anyone getting a separate 'firewall' that they are required to use on their own network.
No. I don't understand why this confuses you so. It can track everywhere you go on any computer that you use with it, technically through it. But it cannot reach out and look at stuff on your computer.
Curious what brand this firewall is. Do you work for the government or something? I've never heard of anyone getting a separate 'firewall' that they are required to use on their own network.
I just want to make sure that my personal devices are not being accessed. I work as a customer service representative for a company that deals with software for health insurance.
I just want to make sure that my personal devices are not being accessed. I work as a customer service representative for a company that deals with software for health insurance.
Since you are using the same network via wireless, technically, they can access your computer if there was some sort of a software they had on their mini PC but it is far from likely.
I mentioned installing a software firewall on YOUR own computer to see the incoming/outgoing network traffic. I'd never ask or want anyone to install anything on a company machine because it is not their intellectual property.
It is the company's and could get the employee in trouble.
This company, as macroy mentioned as well, is more concerned about the sensitive data protection you are accessing/transmitting than anything. After all, there is HIPAA regulations at the very least.
That is why they gave you a hardware firewall, to protect their equipment, more so the sensitive data on their equipment. They might be monitoring the events on their computer whether for security, compliance or inventory but that would be the extend of it.
I seriously doubt you got anything to worry about. After all, why would whoever that company is, care what kind of data you have on your personal computer?
Since you are using the same network via wireless, technically, they can access your computer if there was some sort of a software they had on their mini PC but it is far from likely.
I mentioned installing a software firewall on YOUR own computer to see the incoming/outgoing network traffic. I'd never ask or want anyone to install anything on a company machine because it is not their intellectual property.
It is the company's and could get the employee in trouble.
This company, as macroy mentioned as well, is more concerned about the sensitive data protection you are accessing/transmitting than anything. After all, there is HIPAA regulations at the very least.
That is why they gave you a hardware firewall, to protect their equipment, more so the sensitive data on their equipment. They might be monitoring the events on their computer whether for security, compliance or inventory but that would be the extend of it.
I seriously doubt you got anything to worry about. After all, why would whoever that company is, care what kind of data you have on your personal computer?
The mini computer is not connected to my wifi or to any of my devices. It's connected to their firewall which is connected to the ethernet cable from the modem. This software you told me to download. Does it access my files, sites, etc... or any of my personal information when it's online or offiline? Is it free and how does it work?
The modem is in the room next to mine, an ethernet cable is connected to it and goes in my room, this ethernet cable is connected to the company's firewall which is also in my room, this firewall is connected to the mini computer which is also in my room, the computer and firewall are also connected with other cables, the 2 monitors are connected to the mini computer, my personal devices are also in my room but none of my devices are connected to their stuff. I am connected using wifi. I never put my wifi password to use their computer. The only place I did put my wifi password is on their tablet which is only used log in to their computer, access codes using apps, I am not only concerned about bank account but I just want to make sure there is no way they can go into my personal devices and see what I am doing, etc...
Is a firewall able to get access to my personal devices, and see my files and sites, etc...? Yes or No?
With the bolded - It sounds like their firewall is the egress/ingress point for your wifi as well.
I'm going to further guess that the FW is probably part of a SOHO gateway - basically a firewall, router, wifi AP, etc. all built in.
So it's basically doing what's called a split tunnel. Essentially - it's routing traffic either to your work network via a VPN, or just pushing it out to the Internet (I mean - both are going out to the internet, but your work traffic is encapsulated in an established VPN to work). Anything you do workwise will go through that VPN - and anything else (your surfing, personal business, etc) is just routed out to your ISP.
To answer your question. From a strictly technical perspective - Yes. Basically any traffic from any of those devices devices (be it your phone, tablet, computer or your employer's equipment) will likely pass through that firewall. So yes, they "can" inspect all that traffic.
But - once again. From a practical stand point - why would they bother? To do so will require effort and money. Not to mention risking the organization's reputation and liability. From a similar perspective - since they are your employer, they already have all of your personal information. Including your bank account for direct deposit.
The bigger concern you should have is whether or not they are keeping that firewall up to date (and I'm sure they are). In all honesty - If your employer is a larger company with a competent infrastructure and security team, you're probably better protected now.
With the bolded - It sounds like their firewall is the egress/ingress point for your wifi as well.
I'm going to further guess that the FW is probably part of a SOHO gateway - basically a firewall, router, wifi AP, etc. all built in.
So it's basically doing what's called a split tunnel. Essentially - it's routing traffic either to your work network via a VPN, or just pushing it out to the Internet (I mean - both are going out to the internet, but your work traffic is encapsulated in an established VPN to work). Anything you do workwise will go through that VPN - and anything else (your surfing, personal business, etc) is just routed out to your ISP.
To answer your question. From a strictly technical perspective - Yes. Basically any traffic from any of those devices devices (be it your phone, tablet, computer or your employer's equipment) will likely pass through that firewall. So yes, they "can" inspect all that traffic.
But - once again. From a practical stand point - why would they bother? To do so will require effort and money. Not to mention risking the organization's reputation and liability. From a similar perspective - since they are your employer, they already have all of your personal information. Including your bank account for direct deposit.
The bigger concern you should have is whether or not they are keeping that firewall up to date (and I'm sure they are). In all honesty - If your employer is a larger company with a competent infrastructure and security team, you're probably better protected now.
Someone in another post said that a firewall is not able to get access to personal devices since none of my personal devices are connected to the firewall. Also isn't it illegal for them to go into my personal devices and look at my files and sites, etc...?
Someone in another post said that a firewall is not able to get access to personal devices since none of my personal devices are connected to the firewall. Also isn't it illegal for them to go into my personal devices and look at my files and sites, etc...?
Yes, it is illegal. However, that isnt what you asked originally. You asked if they could.
To answer your question. From a strictly technical perspective - Yes. Basically any traffic from any of those devices devices (be it your phone, tablet, computer or your employer's equipment) will likely pass through that firewall. So yes, they "can" inspect all that traffic.
But he didn't even ask about "Can they see where I go online"? Only..."can they access my devices?"
The mini computer is not connected to my wifi or to any of my devices. It's connected to their firewall which is connected to the ethernet cable from the modem. This software you told me to download. Does it access my files, sites, etc... or any of my personal information when it's online or offiline? Is it free and how does it work?
For a malicious intend/software, how the device is connected to your network could be irrelevant as the software could find a way to penetrate your network and access the devices or its network traffic if it was designed to do so.
That said, the above scenario is highly unlikely as I and some others mentioned. Company, understandably so, is merely protecting their equipment and the data transmissions to/from it hence their inclusion of a hardware firewall.
Since the firewall is between your ISP modem and their equipment, technically, it is really not making your entire network more secure, just the part behind that firewall, iow, the data transmission to/from their MiniPC and also access to it.
As I mentioned on the attached screenshot (a quick and dirty representation of your current network configuration based on your info and my best understanding), you have a Modem (whether your own or ISP provided) which connects to the ISP service and Internet. Now, if the modem has an integrated router functionality then it should also have the firewall functionality. Sometimes the modem and router are different but most anyone would have the hardware functionality either way which provides the hardware based access control and monitoring to your entire network whether it is wired or wireless.
Your employer included a hardware firewall to, at the very least, secure the data/access to their own equipment and intellectual property because simply put, they do not know how secure your home network is or they might have some industry or government required security compliance standard that your equipment may not able to deliver. Either way, to make things easier for everyone, they sent you what was needed from their own perspective.
PS. You can install the software firewall if you still want but it really should be done to see what kind of network traffic is coming to and going from your own computer whether it is a dozen Windows/Microsoft's own frivolous telemetry related data transmissions or some suspicious or possibly malicious activity that your currently installed AV/Malware scanner failed to catch...it can be like opening Pandora's box and if your are not technically savvy or currently suspecting any malicious infection on your computer, I say "Forget About it!"
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