Cloud-Based Phone Implementation Errors That Lead To Security Risks
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Studies show that approximately 15% of businesses that haven’t adopted cloud-based phone services are worried about the security issues. If you are one of these businesses, you will be happy to note that these attacks are rare. All in all, to mitigate the risk, you have to select a smart vendor and also ensure there is proper implementation. This post takes a look at the four common mistakes that lead to security risks.
Not Changing the Default Passwords
One of the most common mistakes made by companies is the failure to change the passwords from the default settings. This was identified by Researcher Paul Moore when observing various VoIP deployments.
Most handsets and other equipment come with basic passwords such as ‘admin’. These passwords are meant to be replaced immediately after installation. The problem is that most IT experts forget to make the change thus leaving high-quality networking equipment vulnerable. Failing to change the default passwords leaves you vulnerable to interception, eavesdropping and other forms of attacks.
Outdated or Inadequate Network Security
After switching to hosted phone service, the voice data becomes part of the Local Area Network. This means that any weaknesses in your network will become a vulnerability to the phone service. For example, if you have an outdated or inadequate firewall technology, this will be a risk even before implementation. The answer to improving security is to take care of all the network vulnerabilities long before you implement your new cloud-based phones.
Your VoIP vendor will provide the right staff and knowledge to walk through your network as well as consider the reliability of your business Internet packages Cambridge. You will get a scorecard report after the infrastructure foundation assessment and core network assessment.
Weak Encryption
To avoid interceptions, end-to-end encryption of the voice data packets is a must. Voice encryption is a bit complicated. A business needs to consider a number of factors such as the sensitivity of the voice data that will be transmitted. This should be done before selecting a method of encryption. According to Cisco, here are the recommendations for basic encryption:
- Ensure vendor enables SIP over TLS security through their switch fabric.
- Balance encryption with the business-specific security needs in order to keep the costs and latency low.
- Using reliable packet encryption protocols like SRTP
- Encrypting the mobile device calls using VPNs when SRTP or HTTPS is not available.
Using a Weak Public Internet Connectivity
The most common mistake people make in IP-based telephony implementation is the use of unreliable Internet vendors. Even the best network security will not be able to compensate for the risks of public Internet connectivity. Reducing the attack surface area is the key to increasing information security. Public Internet connectivity means transferring data through several locations before the data gets to the final destination. The wide-open public Internet will increase security risks before the data gets to the VoIP provider.
Working with the right vendor will help you mitigate most of the security risks that are associated with cloud-based phones. The right vendor will also guide you through the pre-implementation plan to ensure risks are effectively mitigated.
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