October 12, 2008
Don’t be a victim of VoIP
Around nine WiFi VoIP handsets and phones have been scrutinised by leading security experts, who say that security problems range from potential denial-of-service attacks to more serious issues that allow “deep access” to the handset that lets unscrupulous individual read any sensitive information on the phone.
Such threats are inevitable. So whose responsibility is it to forestall them? it has been posited that if we see practices like this grow as these devices as used more widely then the manufacturers will only have themselves to blame when the security issues put people off VoIP altogether.
VoIP hacking is the modern days version of war dialing - a method of automatically scanning telephone numbers using a modem, usually ringing all telephone number in surrounding area to find where computers or fax machines are available, then attempting to access them by guessing passwords.
Still there are precautions users can take to protect themselves. Here’s a list of WiFi VOIP security issues, and some effective ways to guard against them:
Many points of attack:
As the VoIP phones get more sophisticated, so could the points of entry for would be hackers. Email, client Web browsers, Bluetooth, SMS, WiFi, media players, and image viewers could all provide a window of opportunity for hackers. Though users can use open-source and commercial tools to continually test their phones and networks, they’ll ultimately have to rely on vendors to also do thorough testing on these devices.
Targeting phones in public environments:
For example a Bluetooth scanner could be hidden at the entrance to a major airport or train station and be used to grab user data. It may be best to keep Bluetooth and other wireless features swicthed off when not needed.
Rogue access points:
Other than this when at the office or on the road, users will have to keep their guard up and scan for rogue access points. Unscrupulous individuals will set up access points to target specifically WiFi phones in a business environment as well as at conferences and other places business people like to get together. Decent device authentication and encryption can help provide protection here.
Targeted attacks:
Targeted attacks on specific voice-over-wireless networks may also be an issue, albeit one that the victims may try to downplay.
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