UC Advanced Issue # 1

VOIP SECURITY

Picking up As Wakankar says, VoIP solutions are a relatively new addition to the communications market when it comes to integrating it into collaboration platforms. Certainly the ability to make and take calls from a desktop or mobile application offers a much more appealing solution than a deskphone tethered to the wall. However, that flexibility is something Kevin Michelsen, Senior Global Product Manager for Lumen Technologies, and Trevor Francis, CEO of 46 Labs, warned against. “Since VoIP solutions go over the internet, they open businesses to cybersecurity risks,” said Michelsen. “The major risks with VoIP solutions are DDoS attacks, phishing, robocalling, call tampering, malware, and viruses. These threats all pose significant network, financial, and business disruption risks to enterprises. “VoIP solutions offer greater flexibility and lower cost than traditional phone lines, they have grown significantly over the past several years. The growth and popularity have made VoIP solutions a target for cybersecurity attacks and scammers seeking profit.” Francis agreed, adding that the distributed workforce needs to be careful once they have a VoIP phone line. “Many of today’s businesses are global, making VoIP solutions critical to their day-to-day operations,” Francis said. “But with the prevalence of remote and hybrid workplaces, establishing secure connections can go overlooked.” “Voice security should be part of any cybersecurity solution. Businesses should search for solutions that are zero trust, keep software solutions up to date, and test them regularly. Businesses also need to discourage the use of VoIP connectivity over public WiFi, encourage the use of complex passwords and train employees to recognise and report compromised devices, suspicious activity, and known or suspected attacks.” Ex-Directory The common theme with cybersecurity warnings out there seems to be that the risks are plenty in theory but never seem to materialise. Certainly research from the last 12 months would suggest that a portion of businesses, mostly in the SME bracket, underestimate the risks of their business and are under- protected. With anything from fraud and spam, to

system is directly impacted by the security of their network, and there are certain steps that they can take in order to cover their backs.” Hold the phone When integrated into a collaboration platform, VoIP systems can provide a wealth of benefits, from having one point of contact, to improving call routing and congestion on busy lines. But as with most technologies, the catch comes when utilising the vast reach of the internet. On top of that, Divya Wakankar, VP Enterprise Market at BICS touched on the fact that this technology is still relatively new to businesses. “Today, with over half a billion people around the world using collaboration tools every day, VoIP has become synonymous with voice services. However, as with most things hosted via the internet, effortless connectivity has its drawbacks. “The reason VoIP carries additional risk compared to traditional voice services is simply that traffic is carried over the internet rather than a fixed telecoms network. That means these services are easier to access. While hackers will still need to find and exploit vulnerabilities to reach these services, the number of entry points is vast by comparison. “The other reason VoIP services are such an enticing prospect for hackers is that it is still a relatively new technology despite how ubiquitous it is across the communications sphere. As a result, vulnerabilities can still be found and many businesses using VoIP are still learning and implementing their security practices.”

CONTINUED

Lee Underwood Channel Manager, UK&I

www.snom.com

Divya Wakankar VP Enterprise Market