How to get Water Tight VOIP Security

While VOIP, Voice over Internet Protocol, offers a number of cost advantages over traditional telephoning, it can also pose a security threat.

When it comes to getting water tight security for VOIP, all companies will have different requirements.?There are three levels of security that most of the companies can be categorized into.

At the very least, your business needs to incorporate strategic security tactics so that others cannot access your data.?Here are a few tips that will enable you to secure your VoIP and protect your business from potential hackers:

• Applying security policies before you implement VOIP will enable you to have better protected devices. You can also apply and then test various security policies after your VOIP has been implemented to ensure that you are tightly secured.

• For networks, you can implement MPLS VPN or Virtual Private Networks to enjoy a higher level of security. Implementing security protocol is essential and should be done based on the specific type of application being used. SIP applications for instance will require a different protocol than voice applications.

• SAFW-SIP aware firewalls are a must and should be added to all of your existing systems. You can also add IPSec for security as well as encryption at the IP level.

• Digital certificates can be added using a third party solution such as Kerberos and all of your UDP IPsec should be evaluated based on RFC 3948.

• All call processing and feature servers need to be placed behind a firewall. Software feature loads should be encrypted and it is essential that you perform spyware, virus and intrusion as well as other security scans when you first boot up your systems.

• Not overloading systems is essential as well. Ensure that all software and sets are only running the minimum of services that are required for use.

• Gateways and phones should always be authenticated before signaling.

VOIP is an excellent way to boost production in your workplace, but it?s essential that you have security systems in place to avoid falling victim to threats. VOIP offers many benefits but only if you are properly secured. If you?re using wireless applications, they should be integrated over WiFi and you have to plan for both horizontal and vertical attacks.

Being secure often means being prepared so taking the necessary security precautions may seem a bit extreme but you simply never know when something may happen that will test your security precautions; experts agree that there is simply no way of knowing when or where an attack may take place.

It is critical that all of your staff is aware of what attacks could take place and that they do what they can to avoid these security threats. Being aware that a potential danger exists is often the first step in overcoming that danger.

Alert staff to be careful of what they say over the phone and if your organization has a PBX, you can check to see that the call manager software is properly filtering calls, detecting any that may seem suspicious. You may want to consider assigning one person on your staff with the responsibility of handling these suspicious calls and if you feel that you have been threatened, it is essential that you report your suspicions immediately.

VOIP can significantly increase productivity and has changed how many businesses operate. Keeping your VOIP secure offers more benefits than you may realize, and it?s integral that you ensure that every security measure is taken.

Photo credit:?meship.com

This article was written by Abbey Telecom at abbeytele.com, suppliers of telephone system installation from the Highlands to the Channel Islands.

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Source: http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/how-to-get-water-tight-voip-security/35352/

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