Tag: voip security

In today’s digital age, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems have become an indispensable means of communication for businesses. While VoIP offers numerous benefits, it is also vulnerable to hacking. Cybercriminals can exploit vulnerabilities in VoIP systems to gain unauthorized access to sensitive business data or leverage the system for nefarious purposes. In this article, we will highlight five indicators that your VoIP system may be under attack and provide guidance on what you can do to address these issues.

Irregular Call Patterns

One sign of VoIP system hacking is an unusual call pattern. Hackers may utilize your system to place calls to premium rate or international numbers, leading to higher than normal bills. Typically, these calls are made during non-business hours when they are less likely to be noticed.

What to do: Monitor your call logs frequently and be on the lookout for any unusual call patterns. Consider setting up call restrictions to prevent unauthorized calls.

Deteriorated Call Quality

VoIP system hacking can also result in low-quality calls. Hackers may use your system to initiate spam calls, leading to issues like dropped calls, echoes, or background noise.

What to do: Implement spam filters to block unsolicited calls. Ensure that your system software is up-to-date with the latest security features.

Unauthorized Access

Hackers may try to access your VoIP system by exploiting vulnerabilities, guessing passwords, or using phishing attacks to gain access to user credentials.

What to do: Use robust passwords and enable two-factor authentication to reduce unauthorized access to your system. Train your staff on the dangers of phishing attacks and provide guidance on how to detect and avoid them.

Unusual Network Activity

Hackers may use your VoIP system as a stepping stone to access other network resources. This can lead to unusual network behavior, such as abnormal data usage, atypical traffic patterns, or unauthorized access to other systems.

What to do: Monitor your network activity closely and investigate any signs of unusual behavior. Implement firewalls and other security measures to prevent unauthorized access to your network.

Changes in System Configuration

VoIP system hacking may involve changes to your system settings, including voicemail, call forwarding, or auto-attendant settings.

What to do: Regularly check your system settings to ensure that they remain unchanged. Enable access controls to prevent unauthorized modifications.

VoIP systems are vital to modern business operations, but they pose security risks. By keeping an eye out for the indicators of hacking and deploying effective security measures, you can safeguard your company from the dangers of VoIP system attacks. Be vigilant, be proactive, and stay secure!

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems have become an essential communication tool for businesses of all sizes. However, they are also vulnerable to cyber threats. In order to keep your VoIP security, wallet, and reputation protected from bad actors on the internet, it’s important to implement the following 12 best practices:

1. Secure User Credentials with a Strong Password and Two-Factor Authentication: Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to your phone system.
2. Perform Regular Call Log Reviews: Regularly review your call logs to identify unusual call activity and investigate any outliers that may indicate that your system has been compromised.
3. Disable International Calling or Enable Geo-Fencing: To prevent toll fraud, consider disabling international calling or implementing geo-fencing to block unwanted calls from specific countries or phone numbers.
4. Utilize SaaS for VoIP Calls: Consider outsourcing your VoIP infrastructure to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider who can provide robust features, a user-friendly interface, and built-in security measures to protect your account from fraudulent activity.
5. Stay Up to Date on Security Patches: Ensure that your VoIP phones are running the latest firmware updates to fix any security vulnerabilities.
6. Use a Router with a Firewall: Always use a router with a firewall to block suspicious traffic and prevent unauthorized access to your phone system.
7. Limit Physical Access to Networking Equipment: Store your networking equipment in a locked room or cabinet to prevent unauthorized access, and implement security cameras and access logs to monitor access.
8. Restrict User Permissions: Limit user access to the phone system to prevent unauthorized configuration changes and potential security breaches.
9. Ensure Data Encryption: Partner with a VoIP provider that uses end-to-end encryption to protect your call processing data from being intercepted by hackers.
10. Educate Users: Train your users on best practices for securing their user credentials, identifying fraudulent activity, and preventing the disclosure of sensitive information during calls.
11. Prevent Ghost Calls: Use the setting on your IP phone that only allows incoming calls from the server it is connected to, to prevent ghost calls caused by port scanning.
12. Implement Intrusion Prevention Systems: Use intrusion prevention systems to detect abnormal activity and protect your network from distributed denial-of-service attacks.

By implementing these best practices, you can ensure that your VoIP phone system is secure, reliable, and protected from cyber threats. At TSC VoIP, we currently offer a full complement of VoIP and UCaaS services. We are also pleased to offer no-cost, no-obligation quotes for business class phone systems and service. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business!