VoIP Security Vendors Watch & Wait for the Worst

In many ways, it is not an enviable position. After all, no one likes a doomsday prophet, but that is exactly the position in which VoIP security vendors find themselves. Their tales of woe indicate that sometime in the future – most likely in the next 12 to 18 months – a serious breach in security will occur on VoIP networks, creating a domino-like effect in the industry.

First, the bubble will burst for those who believe that hackers are not interested in VoIP networks. Next will come a round of similar, yet devastatingly painful, realizations, as increasing numbers of attacks are successfully volleyed against VoIP networks. With that, enterprises and network operators will recognize en masse that their VoIP networks simply are not equipped to handle the sophistication of attacks hitting them, and VoIP providers will suffer from the resulting lack of quality of service (QoS) and other customer service metrics that cannot withstand such breaches in security.

These are just some of the findings in this month's Light Reading's VoIP Services Insider, "VoIP Security: Vendors Prepare for the Inevitable."

Executives at many VoIP security vendors believe that enterprises will be the first targets for VoIP security breaches. "Enterprises are deploying increasing numbers of teleworking solutions," says Adam Boone, VP of marketing with Sipera Systems Inc. , "and they're federating with their partners and customers over the open Internet. This will expose them to various security threats over the Internet without adequate security measures."

Another area likely to be a significant target is SIP trunking. "In the next 12 months, there will be an increased rate at which external connections are established to VoIP networks," says Peter Cox, CEO of UM Labs Inc. "This includes SIP trunk links, links to home workers, provisioning of services to roaming users, and the use of VoIP for calling customers and service providers. In many market sectors, and specifically in banking and finance, a significant percentage of VoIP networks are operated in complete isolation, with no links to data networks and no external links other than PSTN connections."

Although VoIP security vendors can – and do – warn others about the inevitable attacks that will befall VoIP networks, their warnings can only do so much. Many VoIP customers believe their networks to be adequately protected by their service provider or data security vendor, while others are simply unaware of the impending threats. Until VoIP infrastructures are significantly threatened, the doomsday predictions of VoIP security vendors make them little more effective than folks standing with cardboard signs on the side of the Internet highway.

— Denise Culver, Research Analyst, Light Reading's VOIP Services Insider

The report, VoIP Security: Vendors Prepare for the Inevitable, is available as part of an annual subscription (6 bimonthly issues) to Light Reading's VoIP Services Insider, priced at $1,295. Individual reports are available for $900. For more information, or to subscribe, please visit: www.lightreading.com/entvoip.