VoIP brings about a lot of benefits to small businesses and startups. This is all thanks to the providers like Telnum that are constantly ensuring quality and reliable service to their clientele.
Because of VoIP, you can set up a functional and sophisticated business communications system for a fraction of the cost of what traditional phone companies would have charged. And because you’re not locked in a contract, you can scale up or down as needed.
You’ll also get access to so many features that would have been financially impossible to acquire under normal circumstances. It’s also extremely portable because it’s all on the internet so you can take it wherever you go.
As long as you have a strong and stable internet connection, you can access all these advantages without compromising call or service quality.
But as with anything else that’s on the internet, security is a concern. That’s why even those who have entrusted a vast wealth of information are still on their toes when it comes to security.
If you want to make the best out of VoIP without the potential security downfalls, keep reading. Knowledge is power. And in this post, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the security of a VoIP system and what you can do to protect yours.
Are attacks on your VoIP system really that probable?
Yes. Everyone thinks they’re safe until they become the victim.
Many business owners mistakenly believe that only the e-commerce industry would be the target of attacks. But the truth is no one is safe. Any industry where they can extract information can be a target. So essentially, this means everyone.
Also, you’re never perfectly secure. You can only make your system more secure than it was before. That’s because the concept of security in the online world moves all the time.
Hackers are always finding new ways to compromise safety, and they never stop working. You shouldn’t ever stop too!
Taking the necessary precautions could sound like a hassle if you’re used to doing absolutely nothing to protect your system. But a little inconvenience right now is always better than potentially a lot of pain later on.
What steps should you take to mitigate and fight against attacks?
In securing your network, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Enterprises that store a lot of sensitive information within the system should obviously do more to protect it.
But that doesn’t mean you should be lax just because you believe there’s nothing for hackers to gain in your system. At the very least, you should implement these practices:
Know the basic signs of a cyber attack
The obvious ones would be racked-up phone bills, loss of data, and loss of access to the system. But what about the more subtle signs?
Breaches aren’t always obvious, and hackers prefer it that way. If you don’t know you’re exposed, you’re likely to do nothing. Here are a few things that you should look out for:
- Unknown calls. If your system is making random calls to random numbers, it probably is a breach. Verify on your end to make sure.
- Redirected internet searches. If for some reason, you’re directed to other pages when you use the web, there’s a good chance you’ve been hacked.
- Unexpected logins. Even if the credentials used are correct, check where the logins were made. Perhaps someone got a hold of your or your employees’ passwords.
Just because you feel safe, it doesn’t mean you are. Make sure to monitor for signs like these regularly.
Run security checks regularly
Think of it as general cleaning. But instead of for your office, it would be for your VoIP system. This would ensure that everything’s in order and that you can address problems before they arise.
Use this as an opportunity to spot weaknesses in the system. It could prevent attacks later on.
Log out of the system when it’s not in use
Even if no one else is in the room, what’s the harm?
Logging out of the system when it’s not in use is good practice. Especially in an office space, you’ll want to make sure that your credentials are only used by you.
Use strong passwords and change them regularly
If your password is in lowercase and spells out a word, you’re doing it wrong. Change it to something more secure by adding special characters, numbers, and uppercase letters.
You should also change them regularly because you’ll never know how close hackers are to cracking it until it’s already too late. Be one step ahead of them all the time.
Use virtual phone number
By taking these steps, you’re making your system a harder target for hackers to infiltrate.
VoIP brought a lot of benefits to small businesses. Let’s keep it that way by preventing headaches caused by security concerns.