Sure-shot Signs That Your VoIP Security is Compromised
Despite making a shift to VoIP for business communications your telephone bills are high! Your staff is getting frequent fake anti-virus pop-ups… What could possibly be wrong?
VoIP, a reliable business communication tool despite its many benefits, is not immune to cyber-attacks. If you experience the above-described scenarios, chances are rife that your VoIP security has been compromised.
Like other devices such as laptops, desktops, phones, CCTV cameras that are connected to the internet, your VoIP phones are connected to the internet too. Cybercriminals can hack and exploit your VoIP phone lines for financial gain.
Instances, where a VoIP phone solution is not implemented in a proper manner, are more vulnerable and can become an easy target for hackers. Your VoIP phone security getting compromised can result in fairly negative implications for your business, such as:
- Hackers can access valuable business data and customer information and misuse the same or pass on such details to competitors.
- Hackers can also use VoIP for extortion and fraud.
- They might also be able to access and eavesdrop on confidential boardroom conference calls.
So, what are the vulnerabilities associated with VoIP?
Remote eavesdropping: Unencrypted connections can result in communication and security breaches. A compromised VoIP line means a hacker can eavesdrop and record important and confidential conversations. He/she might sell these data points and records to competitors. They may also use such information to blackmail victims for personal gains which may be financial or something else.
Network attacks: VOIP technology is dependent on the internet to function properly. A direct attack on the internet connection is an effective way to disrupt or completely interrupt VoIP services. However, such attacks are often done on traditional office telephones as mobile and internet are harder to interrupt. One must also not forget that most mobile applications do not rely on an internet connection to make VOIP calls, they are dependent on their cellular network service provider. Such users are immune to such attacks.
Default security settings: The new generation VoIP phones are smart devices and more of a computer than a phone. This is why they need to be well configured. However, there have been instances where Chinese manufacturers have used default passwords for devices manufactured by them. These default device security settings make the VoIP system more vulnerable.
VOIP over WiFi: Despite being relatively secure, VoIP still needs a source of internet, which in most cases is a WIFI network. Here again, a home or office WIFI can be relatively secure. However, using public or shared networks often compromises the connection.
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Exploits Associated with VoIP
VoIP spam: VoIP spam is better known as SPIT (Spam over Internet Telephony). A spammer can constantly harass its target from different numbers, using the unlimited extensions provided by VOIP PBX capabilities. Easy to automate, a spammer can easily fill the target’s voice mail with notifications. This way, a spammer makes enough calls and ensures the target line is occupied enough to miss out on important incoming calls. However, the process is overall costly and rarely used except in marketing wars.
VoIP phishing: VoIP technology allows a user to change their caller ID. This way the caller may represent a false ID of a person known to the receiver in order to extract information, money, or benefits from the target.
Over the years VoIP has been considered a reliable communication solution by small, mid-size, and large businesses. Not to forget its many benefits such as scalability, mobility, cost savings, and overall efficiency.
VoIP truly enables businesses to collaborate and stay connected with their employees, associates, and customers in an easier, more convenient, and less expensive way when compared to traditional phone services.
However, being a communication solution backed by the internet it is prone to get hacked and various other cybercrimes and frauds. Hence, it is imperative for a business to take all necessary precautions to protect its VoIP phone system security from getting compromised.
But the big question is how does an enterprise know whether or not their VoIP phone system has been hacked. There are certain signs to look out for, what are those? Let’s find out.
