Create a paid subscription to a third-party SMS broker to receive emergency notifications in WNM?!?
Larry
All-Knowing Sage ✭✭✭✭
What could you, SonicWall, possibly be thinking?
In Wireless Network Manager, in order to receive an SMS message about an access point or switch going offline, it is necessary to create an account with Twilio.
As per the WNM 3.5 Administration Guide:
To configure Twilio billing for SMS:
1. Create a Twilio SMS acccount
a. Create a Twilio SMS account at www.twilio.com
b. Enter in credit card information to create an account with full privileges.
c. Purchase a phone number with Programmable SMS capabilities.
d. Record your Account SID and the Authentication Token values on your main twilio.com/user/account page.
2. Configure Twilio billing in Wireless Network Manager
a. Open the Wireless Network Manager Dashboard.
b. Navigate to the Settings > General page.
c. In the Twilio SMS Setting section, enter your:
l Twilio Account Sid
l Auth Token
l Twilio Phone Number
What I don't understand is: Why is this necessary? Why aren't YOU providing the capability to send an SMS message directly from the WNM WITHOUT this extraordinarily risky practice?
I do not WANT to provide my credit card information to this third party - especially one that has been breached multiple times in the past two years (https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/twilio-discloses-impact-from-codecov-supply-chain-attack/).
SonicWall, I'm quite sorry, but you MUST do better, because this plainly sucks.
Comments
Hi @Larry
Since they introduce the WCM, I am asking them to get on-time alert should be getting from sonicwall itself. why they cannot create on-time email alert if there any AP goes offline? instead depending on third-party service.
@Ajishlal - I have NO idea, and it is LUDICROUS to have only two options for email alerts:
Guess it's time to open a few more support cases...
@Larry
no use to create more support case. I did many times and informed their back end team as well as during the WCM beta test i was informed them and after that they integrated the TWILO SMS feature and told me that now you will be get on-time alert if you configure the Twilo.
If any unit goes offline/issue, either i have to monitor the WNM 24hrs or wait until next day email alert to get know the issue.
I'm wondering how many SonicWall customers and partners might have been affected by this activity:
One year later (August 2022), and the ONLY means of getting SMS messages from a WNM device is through this - now highly suspect - third-party provider.
Oh, but it wasn't just ONE breach, it was TWO!
"Limited in scope" they say.
I thought SonicWall was supposed to stand for security throughout it's portfolio (apparently not in this case...)
It is July 3, 2023, and I discovered (quite by accident) from the WNM Dashboard that one of my client's mesh SonicWave's is offline, and has been for the past two days.
SonicWall's requirement - what I consider a security flaw - to establish a Twilio (third-party) account to receive SMS notification still exists. The ability of WNM to send email notifications only on a Daily or Weekly basis still exists.
WNM controls not only SonicWaves but switches. I cannot comprehend how they can be so complacent about the lack of notification controls.
Hi Larry,
Since they introduced the WNM, I requested the on-time email alert notification if any unit went offline as well as the the reporting feature enhancement still both are in same page no changes.
All other compatators are very far into above points. Still I am not understanding why Sonicwall not focusing on above matter ?
@Ajishlal - and that is why I have begun and will continue to deploy another vendor's Wi-Fi solution.
Yes bro me also using another vendor product. recently i did a project with 80+ AP. As well as cost is another concern.
Continuing the gripe about not getting immediate emails for an offline device. Too many years have gone by and SonicWall seems incapable of handling more than daily or weekly notifications, irrespective of their nature.
Whether a contractor unplugged the UPS to use the outlet or a surge from their device triggered the GFI, if the outdoor WiFi mesh unit goes offline, I shouldn't have to wait until the following day (possibly more) to get an email letting me know about lack of service to my client's users.
Budget constraints led them to continue their license for one more year. Now, with multiple outages in less than one month, I'm telling them it is time to move on to another vendor that can alert me immediately to offline cloud-managed APs.