Cloud Source

8 Steps to Improve VoIP Security

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Transitioning to a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution for communications comes with many advantages, including scalability, cost reduction, and integration capabilities. But when it comes to VoIP security, you may encounter problems like malware or distributed denial of service attacks. The following eight practices will help bolster VoIP security, eliminating vulnerabilities and addressing gaps:

Regular Employee Training: Employee errors are a common way for malicious actors to gain access to your data and systems, so prioritize thorough training for your staff. Topics should include:

  • The shared responsibility every employee has for keeping VoIP solutions secure.
  • How to recognize phishing attempts and report them.
  • Evaluating risky environments where an unattended device could be compromised, such as coffee shops, restaurants, and airports.
  • The importance of not allowing unauthorized use of company technology.

Documentation: It can be challenging to secure resources that aren’t identified and cataloged. Keep complete records of the in-house and external systems that interact with VoIP, as well as end-user devices and the software they use.

Encrypt Everything: Any services that interact with VoIP should use end-to-end encryption so that data at rest and in transit is protected.

Regular Updates: As soon as updates for VoIP solutions or devices are available, complete them. This elevates both security and performance.

Multi-Factor Authentication: Make access more challenging with complex passwords within a multi-factor authentication to improve VoIP security. If devices are lost or stolen, unauthorized individuals will not be able to access company resources. It may also be helpful to implement role-based access so that employees can only utilize the areas of the VoIP solution that they require to do their job tasks. You can also use a mobile device management tool to make it easier to control security and compliance.

Stay Up-to-Date with Patching: Have your IT staff subscribe to vendor alerts from your VoIP provider and receive security bulletins so that you have access to the latest patches, firmware, and hotfixes to support VoIP security.

Testing: You can complete testing in-house or outsource it to an external testing service, but you should conduct regular penetration tests to identify potential vulnerabilities.

Say “No” to Public Wi-Fi: Encourage employees to only access trustworthy public Wi-Fi. Accessing the Wi-Fi at coffee shops or hotels may allow for eavesdropping or exploitation of company resources. You can also address this topic during your regular employee VoIP security training.

If you’ve upgraded your communications technology with a VoIP solution, you’ve probably seen some exciting benefits, like rich features and integration with other systems. But you may also have some VoIP security concerns that need to be addressed. Contact us at Cloud Source to learn more about the steps you can take to secure your VoIP technology.

Taking a Multi-Pronged Approach to Cyber Security

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Given the preponderance of data in the cloud, cyber security has become a hot topic. Organizations developing cyber security strategies are on a mission to not only protect their data, but also to make the IT environment a little less complex.

One approach involves an overarching theme: don’t trust anything without first establishing strict verification standards. This is a wise approach because there are too many variables (mobile devices, IoT, etc.) involved in which cyber criminals can access information that can be damaging to your organization. What has emerged is a “zero trust” architecture that ensures data, network-wide, is protected through carefully monitoring identity and location, and inspecting network patterns and traffic logs.

Insider Threats

While organizations do everything they can to protect from outside threats, insiders must also be accounted for. Some of these issues are related to malicious intent, but many are associated with a basic lack of understanding of how cyber criminals are targeting employees, which leads to the mistakes that let them in.

If you’re not managing digital identities correctly, insider threats become much more of an issue. The same can be said of partners and contractors, the behaviors of whom must also be monitored. What cyber security teams seem to struggle with is educating individuals, continuing that education as the security landscape evolves, and integrating applications for safety that won’t negatively impact workflow. Access and control, therefore, become the sticking points.

With the right ratio of validation and insight, organizations can more easily authorize users while monitoring anomalies related to insider activity.

Finding the Right Tools

Among the top proactive and preventative measures you can take to bolster cyber security is multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires the user to present two or more pieces of evidence before they can log in to a system. Basically, it’s a process that makes you prove you are who you say you are. One of the more commonly utilized MFA solutions sends a random code to the user’s mobile phone, which is required during log in to provide access. This can make it exceedingly difficult for a cyber criminal to gain access to your cloud data.

Another method being used to protect data is micro-segmentation, which involves setting up perimeters in your network. Each zone of your network will be independently secure, meaning each zone will have different access requirements. This can stop a hacker, who might have broken in to one zone, from accessing the entire network.

At Cloud Source, we’re actively involved in assisting our clients with their cyber security protocols. We are your safe, secure place for all your technology needs, and we also provide disaster recovery services. Contact us and let’s talk about how we can help you develop a secure environment.

Contact

328 S. Jefferson St. Suite 603
Chicago, IL 60661
Ph: 312.753.7880
E: info@CloudSourceServices.com

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