While businesses go to great lengths to\nprotect their IT infrastructure against nefarious cyber\ncriminals, there is one vital aspect of business security that is so often\noverlooked \u2013 effectively securing your telephone system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Telephone fraud is not the most commonly known form of attack and\nyou\u2019d be forgiven for thinking it\u2019s not something that happens often in the UK.\nIn actual fact, phone fraud – or toll fraud – is on the rise with an estimated\n84% of UK businesses at risk of an attack and the UK is one of the top five\nmost targeted countries in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toll fraud can have the same detrimental effects on a business as\ncyber attacks, including reputational damage and financial losses. Therefore,\ntaking measures to protect your phone system should not be underestimated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toll fraud typically occurs when a hacker uses an IP scanner to search\nthe internet and identify publicly facing phone systems. They use brute force\nattacks or even default vendor passwords (such as admin\/admin) to gain access. Once\nin they will set up diverts and calls to expensive international destinations\nand take a slice of the revenue generated from these calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In most case, this goes undetected and businesses only find out that\nit\u2019s happened when they receive their next phone bill. By then it\u2019s too late\nand hackers have potentially run up tens of thousands of pounds in fraudulent\ncalls. And guess who\u2019s liable for covering the costs of such bills \u2013 you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hackers can gain access to your network in seconds whether you have an analogue, digital or IP based phone system. However, it\u2019s important\nto remember that SIP trunking exposes your phone system to IP level threats, which\nmakes SIP trunks particularly susceptible to this type of\ncrime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bank Holidays, weekends and other out-of-office\nhours are prime times for hackers to try and access your phone systems. So, as\nyour business winds down for the festive season, ensure your IP phone network\nis secure with our top tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n