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Is VoIP Secure?

Internet-based threats and attacks are growing in frequency and sophistication every day. An attacker may be able to infiltrate your computer, spy on your activity, steal your account numbers, or place malware into your system. So what about VoIP? Is it susceptible to the same risks?

It's true, VoIP calls go over the same protocol as the one your computer uses when you surf the web or check email. On the computer, your risk of attack can be greatly minimized by taking a few simple precautions and observing some recommended best practices. Using a firewall, configuring it properly, and avoiding easily-guessed passwords are all simple steps that eliminate the vast majority of Internet-based attacks. Hackers in general are opportunistic. If they encounter a computer with good security, it's easier for them to move onto the next one rather than spend time trying to break down a virtual brick wall.

That said, it is certainly possible that VoIP can be hacked, and a VoIP network is subject to the same sorts of risks as the Internet at large, including exposure to denial-of-service attacks, spoofs, viruses, and Trojans. There are also some sorts of attacks that are custom-made for VoIP, including V-bombing, which involves launching massive amounts of voicemails at the system, causing it to crash. You may also be subject to call spoofing, which is a type of attack in which a hacker spoofs a caller identification, which makes it appear to your caller ID that you are receiving a legitimate call from a bank or other trusted source. Because your caller ID indicates that the call is from say, your bank, the attacker can easily gain your trust and trick you into revealing account numbers or other private financial information. Another type of attack is called Spam over Internet Telephony, or SPIT. This is a technique that has not been embraced yet by spammers but inevitably will be. It involves taking advantage of the Internet protocol to send spam in the form of voice messages to thousands of Internet phones at the same time.

If you are using a VoIP service in your home or small business, the larger providers will have already taken care of adding security precautions for you. Vonage, for example, uses several security precautions, including a transparent authentication technique that protects your identity and your account. Your provider will supply you with a junction box, which is a device that is connected to a standard telephone. Using this box allows you to use VoIP without having to use your computer. As a security precaution, this is the best approach, since it helps to insulate your telephone from potential attacks, and protects the computer as well. If you do use a computer to connect to your VoIP service, make sure you use strong passwords that cannot be guessed, and keep your computer up to date with good firewall and antivirus software.

VoIP is a remarkably intriguing service that can bring you unparalleled convenience and cost savings. If the proper precautions are taken, the threats are small and the advantages will be great.

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