7 Common Security Issues Found in Most VOIP Implementations

Voice over IP (VOIP) has finally overcome Quality-of-Service issues and demonstrated enough ROI to be deployed in most Enterprise Network Environments. If you walk into any Fortune 500 company or a medium/large financial institution you will find VOIP phones being implemented. The core VOIP technology has greatly improved and now offers exceptional Quality of Service (QoS).

As with most technologies, we must understand the risk that VOIP may bring into the existing network. Companies must understand the technology in depth before pushing it out in any network. This article will attempt to explain the 7 most common vulnerabilities found in VOIP networks.

1) Separate VOIP and Data Networks.

Ensure that VOIP and Data networks are configured to use separate VLANs. This will not only segment broadcast domains, it will allow for in-depth quality-of-service (QoS) configurations.

2) Implement ACLs between VOIP and Data Networks

VLANs are not enough. You need to ensure that ACLs are configured between Data and Voip networks to ensure access is allowed to needed services. This will also help protect against malware attacks.

3) Encrypt data to all VOIP admin interfaces

Most VOIP directory servers default to HTTP,FTP, and Telnet for Administration capabilities. ENsure that only encrypted protocols are allowed to minimize attackers capturing clear-text passwords.

4) Secure VOIP Phones

VOIP phones should be further secured with passwords so that users can not easily corrupt the configuration. THis will also minimize potential attackers ability to glean information out of the phones.

5) Harden VOIP Directory Servers

VOIP Directory servers are often overlooked when other servers such as WWW, EMail, and File-Servers are hardened. Companies should ensure that VOIP servers are hardened/secured with the same level of protection as other business servers/

6) Secure VOIP/Infrastructure Switches

Switch security is very important and is often overlooked. Companies need to secure switches to minimize man-in-the-middle attacks that easily reveal clear-text passwords and other information.

7) Document VOIP Systems

Companies often deploy VOIP systems without proper documentation. This may cause issues is a server is damaged or fails. Often times Administrators may not understand how the system works- especially if configured by a 3rd party.

Author: Joshua Perrymon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Latest trends in mobile phone

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