Firebox SSL VPN Gateway Administration Guide - WatchGuard ...

Firebox SSL OverviewSSL for authentication. Enabling single sign-on for the SecureAccess client facilitates operations on the remote computer suchas installation scripts and automatic drive mapping.Establishing the Secure TunnelOnce the Secure Access client has been started, it establishes asecure tunnel over HTTPS port 443 (or any configured port onthe Firebox SSL) and sends authentication information to validatethe tunnel. Once the tunnel is established, the Firebox SSLsends configuration information to the Secure Access clientdescribing the networks to be secured and containing an IPaddress if you enabled IP address visibility.Tunneling Destination Private Address Traffic overSSL or TLSAfter the Secure Access client is authenticated and started, allnetwork traffic destined for certain private networks is capturedand redirected over the secure tunnel to the Firebox SSL.The Firebox SSL intercepts all network connections made by theclient computer and multiplexes/tunnels them over SSL to theFirebox SSL, where the traffic is de-multiplexed and the connectionsare forwarded to the correct host and port combination,determined by the client-server application in real time. TheSecure Access client streams any dynamic port traffic over SSLto the Firebox SSL where connections are re-established to theserver at its desired dynamic port. On both the Firebox SSL andthe Secure Access client, RTP packets are prioritized and processedbefore any other packets.The connections are subject to flexible administrative securitypolicies which can apply to a single application, a subset ofapplications, or an entire intranet. You use the Firebox SSLAdministration Tool to specify the resources (ranges of IPaddress/netmask pairs) that remote users can access through theVPN connection.All IP packets, regardless of protocol, are intercepted and transmittedover the secure link. This functionality is what providesIPSec equivalent functionality to the Firebox SSL. Consider TCPconnections, for example. Connections from local applicationson the client computer are securely tunneled over to the FireboxSSL, which re-establishes the connections to the target server.10 Firebox SSL VPN Gateway Administration Guide