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Hacking VoIP Exposed
2007-08-29
Hackers are a busy bunch. If they're not jamming data networks or crippling users' PCs, they're hijacking servers or stealing privileged information.
Hackers are also beginning to target VoIP systems and their users. Since VoIP is essentially an Internet-based data service, it's as vulnerable to hacker attacks as anything else that moves information across the Web. We recently spoke to Mark Collier, co-author of "Hacking VoIP Exposed" (McGraw-Hill, 2006, paperback, $ 49.99), for his opinion on the state of VoIP security and how businesses can better understand and deal with various types of Internet telephony threats. Collier is chief technology officer of SecureLogix Corp., an enterprise VoIP network-management tools vendor located in San Antonio, where he is responsible for all the company's product and services research and development. Here are his thoughts on hackers and VoIP.
X: What are the biggest VoIP hacking threats?
Mark Collier: The biggest potential issue is Denial of Service (DoS). VoIP systems are very susceptible to various forms of DoS. DoS can affect the IP PBX, supporting infrastructure services such as TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) and DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), the network, and IP phones. DoS can seriously degrade the quality of calls. Also, legacy issues are not going away with the adoption of VoIP. In some cases, VoIP can make some legacy security issues worse.
X: What can hackers do to a business's VoIP system?
Mark Collier: They can disrupt service, preventing users from effectively using the VoIP system. They can eavesdrop on calls and listen to conversations or gather information such as DTMF . They can access voice mail. They can steal minutes via toll fraud. They can manipulate the content of calls.
X: Is SPIT a real problem?
Mark Collier: It isn’t now. It will probably develop into a real problem, but it will take several years for it to develop.
X: Is the hacker problem growing?
Mark Collier: As enterprises deploy more VoIP, as they extend VoIP to teleworkers and the public network, and as they increase the use of softphones and unified communications, the security issues will increase. Hackers will become more interested in attacking VoIP systems. We are already seeing an increase in interest in the hacker community, including development of more and more attack tools.
X: Are most business users aware of these threats?
Mark Collier: Not really. Some are and some are not. Many are focused on the wrong threats.
X: What are the top things a business can do to protect itself against VoIP hackers?
Mark Collier: The first step is to perform an assessment to determine what vulnerabilities exist. There are often some simple, inexpensive changes that can be made that will greatly increase security. You can't fix what you aren't aware of. Outsourcing an assessment is a good idea.
X: What can VoIP service providers and vendors do to make the technology safer?
Mark Collier: The major VoIP system vendors are improving their systems. With each major release, you see real security improvement with many of the vendors, including the leaders like Nortel, Cisco and Avaya. The vendors, however should work better with their customers during deployment,to make sure that the security that is available is used.
By John Edwards
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