Is VoIP Secure?
VoIP is a convenient tool. It simplifies communication. It enables you to eliminate all your traditional PSTN landlines whilst also increasing the connectivity of your business premises. But is it secure? Traditional landlines have their weaknesses but they are so much harder to hack than VoIP systems that use the internet. So, business owners have […]
VoIP is a convenient tool. It simplifies communication. It enables you to eliminate all your traditional PSTN landlines whilst also increasing the connectivity of your business premises.
But is it secure? Traditional landlines have their weaknesses but they are so much harder to hack than VoIP systems that use the internet. So, business owners have every reason to question the security of VoIP.
Fortunately, the answer is quite simple. Is VoIP secure? Yes, it is, so long as you take the time to secure it. Like any other system, it is your responsibility to keep intruders out.
You have a few options available to you. They include:
Firewalls
This has to be your first course of action. PCWorld will tell you that most major VoIP systems use powerful encryption tools, including Skype, which depends on 256 bit AES encryption to keep your conversations over the internet safe.
The people over at onsip think that you should close Port 80 on your Router because it is associated with HTTP traffic, which is vulnerable to hackers.
Hackers that slip into Port 80 can access and utilise the web interface to wreak all manner of havoc. For this reason, some security experts will encourage you to disable the phone web interface.
Call Behaviour
Our VoIP systems will permit you to monitor and record calls. This feature is very convenient for administrators who wish to keep a close eye on their employees.
However, call monitoring features are also effective security tools, especially when you pair them with a monitoring algorithm that will allow you to analyse call behaviour.
The objective is to identify strange patterns that might indicate fraud.
Passwords
Obviously, if you have a VoIP phone system, you are going to require Intrusion Prevention systems and firewalls. But that isn’t where you start. Proper security almost always starts with an appropriate password.
So many phone systems are hacked because the owners either had no password, they had a weak password or their password was stolen. Many of the VoIP devices you receive will have pre-set passwords.
Your first priority should be to change that password. Do it immediately. Otherwise, you will forget. After that, you must remember to change your password every month. This is the only way to stay ahead of potential hackers.
As an administrator, you should also endeavour to make your employees security-conscious. If external parties hack an employee’s phone, they will eventually use that stepping stone to find a weakness in your VoIP system.
VPN
VPNs are all the rage these days and for good reason. A Virtual Private Network isn’t infallible. But it will augment your security measures, especially when it comes to encrypting communication lines with remote workers.
There are also Geo Limits and Access Lists to consider. But Cisco.com believes that diligence is your biggest weapon. They think that complacency is very costly.
You need to take charge of your VoIP security. Determine the holes that need to be plugged and then take steps to plug them. As an administrator, do not presume that one of your employees will eventually see to the security of your VoIP Phone system. They are just as likely to forget.
Bottom line is that there is nowhere else you can get a trustworthy and more secure VoIP Phone System other than at VoIPer. To get one for your business today, call us free on 0800 332 266 to talk with one of our team.