VoIP phone security in 2023: Opportunities, Risks, Threats

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In today’s competitive business environment, businesses of all sizes are making the switch to a VoIP phone system because of its many advantages. As a result, most firms don’t give much thought to the need for VoIP security when they make a move to VoIP. Unfortunately, virtual private networks (VoIP) have built-in vulnerabilities that can be exploited if the correct security measures are not implemented. We can break down VoIP security into three distinct categories:

What is it that you want to keep safe?

Ensure that your VoIP service is working at total capacity at all times.

Protect consumer and company data, such as call transcripts and transaction records, against unauthorized access.

Take steps to prevent outsiders from making phone calls and getting access to your network.

You can keep your organization in compliance by using a secure VoIP solution.

Who are you defending yourself against? The ability to identify potential dangers and the motives underlying them is essential. The three most common threats are:

Toll fraud

A person or organization can piggyback on your system to get free international or long-distance calls and data transmissions.

Dos (Denial of Service) attacks

A systematic assault on a VoIP system is launched to acquire access to private information such as phone numbers, IP addresses, and so on. When you share your data with others, it might be monetized or used to reroute calls for other reasons. However, a desire for financial gain doesn’t usually drive DoS assaults. Instead, disgruntled ex-employees or sly competitors may be behind the attacks, often aimed at disrupting or shutting down networks.

Attacks on SIPVicious

SIPVicious, in its benign version, is a SIP network auditing tool. The tool might be misused for malicious purposes, causing your firm to be crippled.

To what extent do you require security measures? Again, as with data network security, the ideal approach is to take many-layered precautions.

• Encryption – Standards for data encryption include Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS). In addition, encryption and scrambling methods protect data transmissions from being easily understood if the data is intercepted.
• VLAN – A VLAN separates broadcast domains among networks. Because it separates speech and data, you may apply multiple security measures to your voice and data packets while increasing the speed of your VoIP system. Enhance security measures for distant phones connecting to a company’s network using a virtual local area network (VLAN).
• Security on your network – Just as vital is protecting your network with firewalls, antivirus, gateway protection, end-point protection, and other types of security measures. To keep systems secure, you should apply software patches and upgrades regularly. In addition, you should include a redundant power supply, backup servers, and frequent data backups into your VoIP network to prevent outages and downtime.
• User security – You can prevent a human mistake by educating the user. Employees must use strong voicemail passwords, be aware of dangers, and understand how their activities may assist or harm security. Security rules must be established and enforced by employers. Using a PIN for international calling, for example, is a typical security technique to prevent unwanted international calling. In the event of a security compromise, the company may not know about it until it is too late.

Using these 12 tips, you can keep your VoIP system safe and sound

1. Encrypt voice communications.

It is the most important thing to do. Encrypt your VoIP system’s speech and data flow with encryption algorithms.

2. Use Wi-Fi encryption

Additionally, it would help if you protected your Wi-Fi by encrypting it to the best extent possible.

3. Use a virtual private network (VPN)

A VPN, which stands for “virtual private network,” provides an extra degree of protection. A virtual private network (VPN) covers calls made via mobile or wireless networks, making it a valuable option for on-site and off-site personnel.

4. Strong passwords

It should be obvious. Be aware of your security system, adjust the default security settings, use strong passwords and update them periodically.

5. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity

Check your system and its security measures frequently to ensure they are working correctly and not vulnerable. Also, be on the lookout for backdoors, vulnerabilities, or indications of previous hacking.

6. Activate Network Address Translation (NAT) (NAT)

A router capability known as network address translation (NAT) is available. Allows you to have a private IP address for your VoIP system and its associated hardware. To prevent unauthorized access to your IP address, it serves as a barrier between your computer and the Internet. To hack your system, hackers need to know your IP address.

7. Shutdown Port 80 Using a firewall

Ports are required for VoIP devices, primarily phones, to connect to the Internet on a local access network. A port on a router is a channel that is currently open for traffic. For example, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) traffic uses port 80 on the router. HTTP traffic is the most common type of traffic on the Internet. It’s because of this that port 80 is so vulnerable to attack. Use a firewall to prevent hackers from accessing your online interface by closing port 80.

8. Ensure that your systems and software are current

Keep your antivirus software, as well as your computer’s operating system, up to date for maximum security and protection. Even a VoIP firewall or intrusion prevention system may be used to enhance security.

9. Avoid making overseas calls unless necessary

In the absence of an international business that relies on international phone calls, it’s a brilliant idea to turn off international calling. Make careful to review call records and history frequently if your organization has to make international phone calls.

10. Remote device management is an option to consider

It is possible to erase an employee’s device remotely if they leave or are dismissed or if the device is stolen. Remote device management should be activated on all employee-owned devices, regardless of whether your company provides laptops or has a remote device management policy.

11. Improve VoIP security awareness among users

All users of your VoIP phone system should be aware of how the system works and how to maintain it safe. Teach your staff about VoIP security and best practices by setting aside some time for this.

12. It’s time to speak your mind.

Employees can learn to recognize and report suspicious activities if they are educated on the importance of VoIP security. In addition, the VoIP provider should be alerted about any such suspicious behavior.

Final Thoughts

Businesses should not avoid using a VoIP phone system because of worries about security. Benefits exceed the hazards by a wide margin. As with any technology, you can reduce the risk considerably when the required procedures are taken to guarantee that the system stays secure. A large number of VoIP systems now on the market have built-in security measures. If you’re thinking about switching to VoIP, be sure to ask about the available security features.