The Reality of VoIP Security Threats

By Michael Talbert

A lot has been said lately of the security, or lack thereof, of a voice over IP network. Just recently CompTIA put out a report claiming that only 50% of SMBs have any faith in the security measures taken in VoIP. Since most businesses consider telecommunications their lifeline to the outside world, its no wonder the business community looks to converging their networks with a wary eye.

So I decided to delve into the subject to try and find out just what it is everybodys so scared about. As most companies require a 99.999% uptime and availability of their voice networks, their concerns about VoIP security are not just paranoia, but based on real threats that are real technological possibilities.

So too are these threats nothing new to network and security professionals, who have been locking down IP networks from hackers, spoofers, and viruses since the advent of the technology.

From what Ive been able to find out, most of these threats to the voice network are variations on a theme, disrupting communications in different ways using the same old methods. Of course, a Denial of Service attack can bring a voice network to its knees, rendering communication to an advanced form of gibberish, something most businesses will not tolerate.

Spoofing, man in the middle attacks, and eavesdropping are all threats in a data network that take on new possibilities in VoIP. Intercepting identities and data, converting calls to voice files, all bring up thoughts of corporate espionage, company chaos, stolen identities and unauthorized bank transfers.

It is my conclusion that although the aforementioned attacks are not wide spread at this time, companies and security professionals must prepare for an onslaught as VoIP becomes more widely adopted.

Just as securing a data network is top priority in todays world, up to date security precautions are of utmost importance when converging your voice network. It falls to the professionals responsible for the installation, be they in house or contracted out, to put security at the forefront of any migration.

Author Michael Talbert is a certified systems engineer and web designer with over 7 years experience in the industry. For more information on VoIP Security, visit the website VoIP-Facts.net, or the VoIP Blog for up to date industry news and commentary.

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