If you provide internet access, you must keep logs
Law No. 5651 (Turkey) obliges businesses that provide internet access to keep access logs. Hotels, cafés, hospitals, schools, shopping centres and many other businesses that offer internet access to guests or staff fall within the scope of “mass-use providers”.
The essence of the obligation is this: record which IP address was assigned to which device on your network and for what time period; prove with a timestamp that these records have not been altered afterwards; and retain them for the period set out in the legislation. Failing to keep logs may result in administrative sanctions.
What does the 5651 solution do?
Signs logs with Unna Controller
For FortiGate environments, our primary solution is Unna Controller, developed in-house by Unna. Daily archives are signed with a qualified timestamp (RFC 3161) from TÜBİTAK Kamu SM (Turkey’s public certification authority).
Proves the integrity of the logs
Archives are linked to one another in a hash chain. If any link in the chain is altered, verification fails; you can verify at any time that the logs have not been changed.
Verifies guest access
With an SMS-verified hotspot, guests connect after verifying their phone number. The welcome page is customised to your brand, and visitor records are kept in line with KVKK (Turkey’s Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698).
Reports
The status of signed archives and device checks can be exported as PDF reports. When a request for records arrives, you can quickly reach the relevant period.
5651 with Unna
Unna Controller is currently focused on FortiGate. If you use WatchGuard or Ruijie, we separately set up a logging and signing solution suited to your device and network as needed.
We listen first. We establish which obligation your business falls under, how many users you provide internet access to and over which networks.
We plan together. We choose the solution that suits your firewall, the storage capacity and the guest verification method.
We install and verify. We bring log collection and signing into service and test with you that a sample record can be queried.
We stay by your side. We regularly check that signing is running without interruption. When a request for records arrives, we are by your side.
Part of the whole
Within network security, 5651 logging is the legal logging layer built on top of the firewall you choose.
FortiGate, WatchGuard or Ruijie separate guest and staff networks and generate the data needed for logging.
With ManageEngine Firewall Analyzer, we produce meaningful day-to-day operational reports from the same logs.
From a KVKK perspective, access logs also contain personal data; we address retention and disposal processes together.
With backup, we keep a separate copy of the signed archives so that logs are not lost in a hardware failure.
Frequently asked questions
We only provide internet access to our staff. Are we in scope?
The scope of the obligation depends on the type of business and to whom it provides internet access. We assess your situation together against current legislation and recommend that you confirm it with your legal adviser.
How long must logs be retained?
The retention period is set in the relevant legislation according to the type of provider. During installation, we confirm the period that applies to you under current legislation together with your legal adviser and plan capacity accordingly.
Aren’t the firewall’s own logs enough?
No. The integrity of the logs must be proven with a timestamp. The firewall’s own logs do not include this signature.
