The internet has made spectacular advancements, and with every advancement come equally spectacular challenges. Today, the internet has become an integral part of our lives due to its availability. However, the dark side of technology is being felt in our daily lives. The internet holds the world in its palm and makes society stand on the edge of a cybersecurity issue.
From a security perspective, nothing is guaranteed safe on the Internet. Data security and its threats are lethal to every business and enterprise. The same must be true for VoIP phones. VoIP systems are easy to hack, mainly if they use an unsecured SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) prone to brute force.
You might think hacking a phone system is impossible, but it is far from the truth. In this blog, we will learn everything we need to know about VoIP hacking.
What is VoIP hacking?
VoIP hacking is another attack that a person uses to gain unauthorized access to your business telecommunication system. They can eavesdrop on and engage in telephone conversations, leading to high telephone expenses and even obtaining sensitive information concerning your firm and clients.
Hacks commonly occur when one of your employees relays information to a scam artist. Such social engineering scams are reportedly behind 97% of all malware incidents.
Cybercriminals prefer to identify individuals in the customer service department and the Network Operations Center (NOC) and then impersonate them. Staff can unwittingly grant access to the cracker, and they seize control of your VoIP phone system.
Unauthorized access to a business’s phone system can be a springboard to other attacks. For instance, a VoIP hack can retrieve information to debit a credit card, proxy your business, and learn a customer’s secret data.
Business phone systems remain vulnerable, and it becomes helpful to familiarize yourself with the techniques used to breach them and look into the measures that both parties, the company and the service provider, can take to enhance their security.
Types of VoIP hacking
Due to configuration, traditional and current VoIP phone systems pose different network security threats. Below is a list of five basic types of VoIP hacking that one should always watch out for.
1. Unauthorized use
This type of attack is called a phone system attack, in which hackers use your business phone systems to call people.
Many employees only have their telephone connection and are responsible for this to be done and criminals can easily use robocalling and auto-dialing software. If someone answers the phone to your caller ID, there will be an interactive voice message from the other side asking them to do something like enter their credit card number to verify their account, and it is not your business calling them.
Scammers can also use your business phone line for fraudulent actions if they gain access to it. There are great chances that your VoIP system is tapped when you do not have professional help with setup because unauthorized use is not easily detected. You can also monitor call logs and history and create a threshold to warn when you exceed or use your calls often. That way, you’ll know their unauthorized credit card use before they can do more damage.
2. Toll fraud
This situation may be caused by hackers who connect to other devices under other toll international connections. Subscriptions for such codes that connect to these long-distance phone numbers could be costly and incurred on your bill. For instance, Trend Micro indicates that $27 billion is embezzled through toll fraud.
Using someone to swipe the users and admins with phishing scams to infiltrate your VoIP system is also possible.
For instance, the hackers call the finance team members and pretend to be from the local bank, requesting them to reveal the organization’s banking details. Your employee is unaware of the situation and thus answers the phone call and provides the codes like phone system password or IP.
The hacker then has information that can be used to destroy your VoIP phone system by making expensive international calls.
3. Caller ID spoofing
If you receive a phone call and the number is displayed on the caller identification service, do you believe the number?
Callers can spoof their Caller ID, which means even if the name and phone number are familiar, the person calling you is not necessarily who it says it is. This procedure allows calls to be faked, and these fake IDs can be combined with another attack, such as a social engineering attack.
Callers may have many records or attachments significant to a company, but employees usually appreciate a Caller’s ID, particularly the number or name. Therefore, after hearing the voice that seems to be from their VoIP provider, they can be lured into disclosing crucial information.
By providing that information without really realizing that the person you wanted on the other end is not the person you wanted, hackers are granted access to your business VoIP system.
4. Eavesdropping
These are some of the most influential and common ways of doing eavesdropping. This is when hackers tap into your business phone conversations or eavesdrop on other recorded business phone functions such as voicemail.
Thus, eavesdropping is only possible if the connection remains unencrypted or the local network is compromised. Open and unsecured Wi-Fi networks that lack Transport Layer Security (TLS) or are not protected with Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) can encourage attackers to eavesdrop on the network.
Eavesdropping can be particularly dangerous, as hackers can gather data about your business and customers.
Depending on the discussions they hear, there is a risk of hackers:
- It means the sale of a customer’s identity to your company’s cheques, credit card records or even social security numbers.
- Allowing your competitors to buy the information you have been using to gain an advantage over them.
- Offering a bribe to either your business or your customers. For instance, they might pose to receive a cash amount just to ensure that those recordings are never released to the public based on the nature of the call made.
5. Social engineering
Process of performing social engineering attacks Statistics reveal that 62% of all commercial enterprises were hit by social engineering last year. This is one type of VoIP hack attack, targeting people, not technology.
For instance, hackers may attempt to develop rapport with his/her target because the latter will then believe that some criminals choose their targets and try to get information about a specific person to use that information later. This can involve sending fake account requests to the victims, such as checking your account and harassing or threatening the victims based on the information they have gotten.
Such charged-up circumstances compel staff into doing it now and that it is the correct procedure to bypass correct procedures.
Measures to enhance the security of VoIP.
All of the VoIP hacks described above are expensive for businesses. The cost of each record stolen is $242 for the U. S. companies, making it costly and undesirable for those who have been hacked.
However, this is not the complete picture; there are also upsides. Most VoIP issues can be resolved through increasing awareness, training, and measures of your internal staff to improve security.
Here are measures that you should ensure, so your business doesn’t fall victim to or become a target for:
1. Selecting the right VoIP provider
When it comes to securing the phone system, it is as simple as focusing on the provider of your choice. A weak provider gives hackers easy access to your phone network and private data set.
This is why it is recommended that you should always look at the VoIP service provider’s security policy before you opt for their services. You’ll want to make sure they:
- Post their loyalty to their networks and the measures they have in place against the threats.
- Describe how to report a vulnerability.
- Ensuring that there is a contingency plan in case of a hack
- Possess credentials that confirm their awareness of security.
- Actively participate in a responsible security disclosure program.
- Present good security practices.
Spend some time with this and ask your providers questions about their credentials. They should be able to provide this information whenever requested. If they do not offer that carrier VoIP reseller service or do not offer competitive pricing, seek the ultimate call from other VoIP service providers. This is a standard call in which the caller pretends to be another person and asks you to disclose some confidential information.
Social engineering is employed because the attackers rely on one simple fact: people wish to be friendly and helpful. Nothing is worse than having to decline a request from someone or turn down a friend request on a social networking site mainly because you have no reason not to believe the person.
People must be aware of such social engineering campaigns, and organizations must train employees to avoid exposure to fake caller IDs that attackers use to make fraudulent calls.
2. Control Access To The Administration
Remote management of the VoIP structure is possible as the user has total control over the business phone system. The user can perform billing, establish conference calls, install new lines of work, and lead to further invasions of cost.
Two primary considerations regarding the administration of your VoIP phone system are the number of employees who should have full access to the system and the scope to which those individuals should have access.
If everyone is given access, a social engineering attack is more likely because it becomes easy. Human beings make mistakes, but having the proper permissions reduces the extent of damage we may cause. The solution is straightforward: do not grant administrative control to those who do not require it, and perform user access reviews at least occasionally.
The more employees an organization has, the more exposed it is to such scams, and the sooner a hacker can gain administrative access to its network.
3. Connect via VPN for remote access.
According to Gartner, statistics show that 82% of organizations’ decision-makers intend to allow employees to work remotely. Remote staff is always in contact with their co-workers, suppliers, and even customers by phone, and hence, they are easily exposed to VoIP hacking.
However, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts those phone calls. Your remote team has a VPN installed on all work devices, including smartphones or softphones.
It ensures a direct association of that specific device with your phone system, as you did in the office. They connect the call from the secure network, not the home network, which may have issues.
This makes it complicated for hackers to listen to remote employees’ calls.
4. Use two-factor authentication
Today, mere passwords can no longer provide sufficient protection against a hacker. Competent, experienced hackers can crack passwords, so you should have two-factor authentication for your VoIP phone system.
Two-factor authentication is another level of security on top of your password that has proven very effective. Users must verify their sign-in with:
- Having recorded themselves saying a secret code
- Using a smartphone and an authenticator application.
- Using their fingerprint ID
With one of these additional authentication features, the hackers cannot gain entry into your VoIP solution even if they have the personnel’s password. Only those people who have the appropriate second-step certifications can enter the facility.
5. Test your network
This is common among small businesses where a VoIP system can be developed and integrated without further modifications. However, doing this puts you at risk of a VoIP hack. Ideally, the setup you are currently using requires an upgrade because it may not be as secure as it used to be.
Periodically scanning your network helps you identify vulnerabilities in your VoIP system’s security. Management should also periodically assess privacy/vulnerability and standards not to be breached. For example, you might see that:
- Some staff who left this company two years ago still have their accounts.
- Your admin passwords are still the same as they were two years ago.
- The connection gateway lacks TLS or SRTP, so Internet telephone calls do not employ encryption.
Your IT department should also conduct an annual security check to ensure your online business is safe from hackers. This “penetration test” involves playing the role of a hacker and identifying whether a network has been secured. It is essential to review and strengthen any weaknesses as soon as possible.
Conclusion:
The advantages of VoIP are numerous, but like any other tool, its drawbacks and security issues cannot be ignored. It is essential to be aware of all these risks and ensure adequate security measures are implemented to safeguard your conversations. Basic measures include a proper password creation process, selecting an appropriate provider, and various others that you can take to protect the VoIP system. In conclusion, one must pay attention to threats that may jeopardize the security of VoIP communications and remain proactive in combating these threats.
FAQs - Can VoIP Be Hacked
VoIP involves security risks if security measures have not been implemented. However, the risk could be significantly minimized with proper login credentials, encryption methods, and frequent updates in software and apps.
Several indications that a particular VoIP call is being tapped include low quality, unexplained changes in settings, and a tendency of the call to behave unusually. Regularly checking your system for such symptoms makes it easy to notice attackers’ penetration.
If hackers hack a VoIP system, the first thing to do is isolate the device, contact the provider, reset all passwords, and conduct a thorough security scan to address all risks.
VoIP’s security depends on the measures adopted; it can sometimes be more secure than standard telephone networks. However, it is also vulnerable to various forms of cyber threats.
The best means of protecting VoIP are strong passwords, encryption, frequent updates, firewalls, and employee awareness.
Encryption in VoIP plays a critical role by making the information transmitted during a call unreadable, thus improving its security. But it must be done correctly, incorporating additional features like password protection and consistent updates.
VoIP software should be updated whenever a new version or patch exists. Updates patch risks in the public domain and assures you that your system has all the measures against prevailing threats.
