VOIP SECURITY

• Why is VoIP Security Important?

a) Small Businesses Are The Primary Target

Over half of small businesses suffer from data breaches or other cyber-
attacks every year. (Data breach is a security violation in which
protected data is copied and evenstolen by an individual who is
unauthorized to do so). Roughly 43% of all cyber-attacks and 95% of
credit card breaches are on small businesses, but only 14% of those
businesses have the security measures in place to withstand them.

b) Cyber Attacks Have Serious Financial Consequences

The average cost of a data breach was $3.86 million in 2021 — and
things will only go up from there.

There are the more obvious things like legal fees, lawsuits, and audits,
and then there are hidden costs like lost work time, a loss of customers,
and network downtime.

c) Many Businesses Don’t Recover From Security Breaches

If you still think you can “bounce back” from a data breach, the reality
is that over 60% of small businesses are forced to close their doors for
good within six months after a cyber attack. Even if all of your data is
“backed up” and “recovered,” you’ll still be facing major damage that
could financially destroy your business.

d) Over-Reliance on the “Nothing To Hide” Myth

Many businesses operate under the mistaken assumption that a data

breach won’t be a major issue, as they have “nothing to hide.”
Just because you don’t have any scandalous emails or shady backdoor
dealings, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be targeted and gravely
impacted by a cyber attack. No one is immune to cybercrime, nor to its
consequences.

Being proactive about VoIP security, and recognizing it for the serious
threat that it is, will keep you, your employees, and your customers
safe and secure.

Is VoIP More Secure than Landlines?

When configured correctly, yes, VoIP phones are generally more secure
than landlines.

To better understand the answer, consider the differences in how VoIP

phone vs landlines transmit and store data.

Traditional analog phones make and receive calls through the

PSTN(Public switched telephone network) made up of copper wires and
fiber optic cables. In other words, there’s a physical connection
between the caller and the recipient.

VoIP transmits data over the Internet, making digital calls via packet
switching.

In packet switching, voice data is broken up into smaller packets, which

are then sent over the Internet connection to the receiving end of the
line. There, they reconnect and successfully transmit voice data.

What is VoIP Encryption and How does Security Differ?

VoIP encryption is the process of scrambling voice data packets into
unreadable jumbles while they are in transit, preventing them from
being intercepted or deciphered by hackers.

Even if a hacker somehow intercepts the call, encryption ensures they

won’t be able to make sense of anything they discover.

To understand how encryption works, we need to take a closer look at

the transmission process.

When voice data packets are transferred from the sender to the
recipient, they use an IP transport protocol called the SRTP (Secure
Real-Time Transport Protocol.) SRTP is a cryptographic protocol that
applies the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to data packets,
provides message authentication, and offers additional protection
against potential replay attacks.

What is End-To-End Encryption?

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) directly encrypts communication

between users, meaning that the only people who will be able to access
calls and messages are the senders and recipients. When you make a
call, the data packets at your end are encrypted when sent and are only
decrypted once they reach the recipient.

Types of VoIP Security Risks and How to Prevent Them

a) Packet Sniffing and Black Hole Attacks

Packet sniffing, allows hackers to steal and log unencrypted information

contained in voice data packets while they are in transit.
Packet loss, when voice data packets don’t reach their destination, is
caused by packet sniffers looking to steal information and slow service
via a packet drop attack (sometimes called a black hole attack.) These
packet sniffers intentionally drop packets into data streams by taking
control of your router, resulting in a much slower network service or a
complete loss of network connection. Packet sniffing also makes it easy
for hackers to intercept usernames, passwords, and other sensitive
data.

To help make your Internet lines more secure, use a reliable VoIP VPN
option or a virtual private network to send information. This takes
some time to set up and get running, but it ensures that information is
secure.

b) DDoS Attacks

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks, as the name suggests,

make it impossible for businesses to use their own VoIP services by
intentionally overwhelming servers.

To mitigate DDoS attacks, use a separate, dedicated Internet

connection just for VoIP. VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks)
specifically provisioned for VoIP traffic are an excellent option here,
because it makes it much easier to recognize unauthorized or
unfamiliar data flows. For VoIP users sharing across a wide area
network (WAN), managed encryption is the best way to guard against
DDoS attacks.

c) Vishing

Vishing is VoIP-based phishing, meaning that a hacker pretends to call

you from a trusted phone number or source with the intent of getting
you to reveal sensitive information to them, such as passwords, credit
card numbers, and more.

To prevent vishing, targeted agencies should verify all phone requests,

even if they seem to come from the organization’s IT department.
Agents also need to be trained to refuse to disclose sensitive
information unless cleared by the supervisor.

d) Malware and Viruses

Malware and viruses impact internet-based applications like VoIP,

creating a multitude of network security issues. These damaging
programs specifically consume network bandwidth and add to signal
congestion, which causes signal breakdown for your VoIP calls. These
also corrupt data being transmitted across your network, which means
that you’ll experience packet loss.

To prevent malware and viruses, employ data security measures like

encryption and regularly check for network infection. Some routers
actively block malware, even going so far as to block dangerous sites
from your network.

Most of all, implement VoIP-compatible software and hardware

firewalls that scan information to make sure it’s secure.

e) Phreaking Attack

A phreaking attack is a type of fraud where hackers break into your

VoIP system in order to make long-distance calls, change calling plans,
add more account credits, and make any additional phone calls they
want.
These hackers can also steal your stored billing information, access your
voicemail, and even reconfigure call forwarding and routing strategies.

They do this by calling your phone system and entering a PIN Number
to access an outside line, which allows them to make calls and charge
them to you.

The best way to prevent phreaking is to change account passwords

frequently, purchase ransomware protection software, and if possible,
avoid saving billing information in the system.

f) SPIT

SPIT, or Spam over IP Telephony, is similar to phishing attempts and

other spam in emails.

SPIT contains prerecorded messages that are sent on VoIP phone

systems. These calls are mostly a nuisance that ties up your virtual
phone numbers, but the spam carries other risks with it, such as
viruses, malware, and other malicious attacks.

A solid VoIP solution helps to ensure that the spam is not damaging to
your phone system.

There’s not a way to prevent SPIT entirely, but having a firewall helps
identify the spam when it arrives and controls it so that it doesn’t
overwhelm your system.

g) Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

As the name suggests, man-in-the-middle attacks occur when a hacker

inserts themselves in between your VoIP network and the call’s
intended destination.
This usually happens on public and unsecured WiFi networks. Hackers
can easily intercept the call and reroute it through their own servers
instead, where they can easily infect it with spyware, malware, and
viruses.

The real issue with these attacks is that they can be quite difficult to
detect, and even methods like tamper detection or authentication
attempts don’t always work.

Users can prevent man-in-the-middle attacks by having strong

WAP/WEP encryption on access points, improving router login
credentials, using a VPN, and more.

h) Toll Fraud

Toll Fraud is somewhat similar to a phreaking attack, but here, hackers

intentionally make an excessive number of international calls from your
business phone system so they can get a portion of the revenue the
calls generate for themselves.

Sometimes known as International Revenue Sharing Fraud, (IRSF) it

costs businesses roughly $10 billion every year.

To prevent toll fraud, enable two-factor authentication on your

accounts, restrict geo-permissions by only allowing users to contact
certain countries, and set rate limits on things like concurrent calls and
call duration.

i) Call Tampering

Call tampering is when a hacker injects additional noise packets into the
call stream, instantly destroying the call quality and forcing both parties
to hang up. These hackers can also prevent packets from being
delivered to their proper destination, which makes for spotty, garbled
service and long periods of silence.

To prevent this, enable end-to-end encryption, use TLS( Transport layer

security) to authenticate data packets, and use endpoint detection
software.

j) VOMIT

Voice over Misconfigured Internet Telephones, or VOMIT, is a VoIP

hacking tool that actually converts conversations into files that can be
played anywhere, making it easy to convey information from your
business phone system.

This type of eavesdropping not only takes data from your system, but
also helps the attacker gather business data, such as the call origin,
passwords, usernames, phone numbers, and bank information.

To prevent VOMIT, use a cloud-based VoIP provider that encrypts calls

before they are sent.

VoIP Security Best Practices

• Implement a Strong Password Policy

For best results, tell employees to change their passwords at least once
every two weeks, ensure they’re not using the same passwords for
multiple accounts, and instruct them to avoid using any personal or
public information (street address number, pet’s name, etc.) in work
passwords.
 • Avoid Using Public WiFi

Public WiFi is a breeding ground for hacking since malware and other
viruses can easily be spread over an unsecured network.

• Conduct Frequent Security Audits

Even a simple lapse in network security has a major impact on the

quality and security of VoIP calls. Optimally, security assessments
should be performed by independent and verified security agencies so
nothing is overlooked and proper preventative action is taken.

• Run Consistent Software and System Updates

Even though many VoIP providers run automatic software updates, it’s
still a good idea to ensure that you’re using the latest version of all your
business communication tools.Additionally, they often introduce
technology to fix packet loss.