Speaker 1: Welcome back to the deep dive. Today, we're well, you know,
Speaker 1: diving into the world of VoIP voiceover Internet Protocol.
Speaker 2: Ah.
Speaker 1: Yes, you'd probably use it all the time for calls,
Speaker 1: video chats, I mean, even online gaming, you name it.
Speaker 2: But there's a catch, big time.
Speaker 1: There are some security challenges that come with all that
Speaker 1: VoIP goodness, challenges that most people don't even know about.
Speaker 2: It's true, we just kind of assum our calls are private, right,
Speaker 2: We're used to that from the old landline.
Speaker 1: Days, total trust.
Speaker 2: But that trust it doesn't really apply to VoIP.
Speaker 1: So was the old phone system like the what was it, PSTN.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the PSTN.
Speaker 1: Was that really more secure?
Speaker 2: Not necessarily, It's more about how they work. You see.
Speaker 2: The PSTN it used these dedicated circuits for each call,
Speaker 2: like a private line just for you. Oh okay, So
Speaker 2: to tap into that, you'd need physical access, like to
Speaker 2: the actual infrastructure. Wow, expensive equipment and a whole lot
Speaker 2: of nohow.
Speaker 1: So basically it was secure because it was just too
Speaker 1: hard to attack pretty much. VoIP changes all that.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, big time. VoIP relies on the Internet, and
Speaker 2: on the Internet everything's connected. Data travels in these little packets, okay,
Speaker 2: and it's a lot easier to intercept those packets, yeah,
Speaker 2: and get to the information inside, including well.
Speaker 1: You know, our conversations exactly. Okay. That is a little unsettling. Yeah,
Speaker 1: So it sounds like we need to rethink security when
Speaker 1: it comes to VOIPE, a whole new way of thinking
Speaker 1: about it.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and that's exactly what we're doing in this deep dive.
Speaker 2: Perfect we'll explore the threats, the vulnerabilities, and most importantly,
Speaker 2: what you can do to protect yourself actionable advice.
Speaker 1: Love it. Our main source for this deep dive is
Speaker 1: a book, Oh a good one, Securing VoIP Networks by
Speaker 1: Peter Thurmus and Ari T. Cannon.
Speaker 2: Great authors, and these guys they really know their stuff.
Speaker 1: They were involved in some of the earliest VoIP research.
Speaker 2: Backed by some serious agencies.
Speaker 1: Like DARPA and NIST. These are folks who don't mess
Speaker 1: around when it comes to security.
Speaker 2: No, no, they're the real deal.
Speaker 1: And this book, let me tell you, it's packed with information.
Speaker 1: It covers everything from the basics all the way to
Speaker 1: like advanced attack techniques and how to stop them.
Speaker 2: It's a gold mine.
Speaker 1: It really is. And trust me, there's some real eye
Speaker 1: openers in here. We're gonna learn about how free Wi
Speaker 1: fi you know, the thing we all love. Oh yeah,
Speaker 1: give me a business model killer. We'll uncover the history
Speaker 1: of phone freaking fascinating stuff, and even dive into a
Speaker 1: real life wire tabbing case. This one targeted the Greek
Speaker 1: Prime Minister high stakes, So buckle up, we're about to
Speaker 1: go deep into the world of VoIP security, a world
Speaker 1: that's both fascinating and well kind of scary.
Speaker 2: You got that right.
Speaker 1: Let's start by understanding the difference between those old school
Speaker 1: landlines and this new VoIP thing. The fundamentals.
Speaker 2: Okay, so the traditional phone system, the PSTN, it used
Speaker 2: something called circuit switching. Circuit switching, Yeah, imagine a dedicated
Speaker 2: wire connecting your phone directly to the person you're.
Speaker 1: Calling, like a private line exactly.
Speaker 2: How wire it's reserved just for your conversation. Nobody else
Speaker 2: can use it now. Setting up and maintaining all those
Speaker 2: physical circuits that was expensive, I bet, But it also
Speaker 2: made it really tough to intercept calls.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a private conversation yeah in a
Speaker 1: soundproof room.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1: Nobody can listen in unless they like physically break in, right,
Speaker 1: But VoIP it uses a different approach.
Speaker 2: Totally different. VoIP uses something called packet switching. So instead
Speaker 2: of a dedicated circuit, your voice gets like digitized, okay,
Speaker 2: broken down into these little packets of data packets.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: And those packets they travel over the Internet. They share
Speaker 2: the same infrastructure as everything else.
Speaker 1: So it's like sending a letter. Yeah, but you cut
Speaker 1: it up in the tiny pieces. Okay, put each piece
Speaker 1: in a separate envelope and mail them all separately.
Speaker 2: I like that analogy.
Speaker 1: They might arrive out of order, but you put them
Speaker 1: back together, you get the original message exactly.
Speaker 2: Now, this packet switched approach, it's super efficient. It makes
Speaker 2: amazing things POSP like video calls, all those multimedia apps,
Speaker 2: but it.
Speaker 1: Also makes securing those conversations.
Speaker 2: A whole lot harder because now someone could intercept those
Speaker 2: packets anywhere along the way. They don't need to physically
Speaker 2: tap a wire exactly. And that's just one of the
Speaker 2: many security challenges we'll be exploring. To help illustrate this contrast,
Speaker 2: let's look at an image from the book Figure one
Speaker 2: point two. Ah, yes, it shows an old switchboard. You know,
Speaker 2: those massive things you see in old movies. Oh yeah,
Speaker 2: and next to it is a simple butt set. This
Speaker 2: was a basic device used to tap into.
Speaker 1: Phone lines back in the day.
Speaker 2: Now in the PSTN world, to use that butt set,
Speaker 2: you'd have to physically connect it to a critical point
Speaker 2: in the network, like.
Speaker 1: A signal transfer point.
Speaker 2: Imagine like breaking into a heavily guarded facility just to
Speaker 2: connect a listening device. Talk about high risk, high cost.
Speaker 1: It was serious business.
Speaker 2: But with VIP accessing those conversations, it's potentially a lot easier. Right,
Speaker 2: It's more like hacking into a computer network than breaking
Speaker 2: into a physical building. You're getting it, and that's why
Speaker 2: it's so important to understand these unique security challenges of
Speaker 2: VoIP and what we can do to protect ourselves.
Speaker 1: Now, before we jump into the specific challenges, let's talk
Speaker 1: about the different ways VOYP can be attacked. The book
Speaker 1: outlines four main categories of threats. What are they?
Speaker 2: Okay? The first one is service disruption. This is anything
Speaker 2: that can prevent calls from going through, like denial of
Speaker 2: service attacks. They just flood the system with.
Speaker 1: Traffic, thrashing the system exactly.
Speaker 2: Or someone could just cut off your Internet connection, simple
Speaker 2: as that.
Speaker 1: So if you rely on VoIP for you know, important
Speaker 1: business calls or even emergency services. Uh uh, that could
Speaker 1: be a big problem.
Speaker 2: Huge problem. And it's not just about preventing calls. Attackers
Speaker 2: can target the infrastructure itself, you know, the underlying systems, right,
Speaker 2: causing outages, disrupting entire networks.
Speaker 1: Scary stuff. Okay, what's next.
Speaker 2: The second category is unauthorized access your VOYP system. It's
Speaker 2: connected to your network, right, so if someone gains unauthorized access,
Speaker 2: they could potentially get a lot more than just your conversations,
Speaker 2: sensitive data, customer info, financial records, anything on that network.
Speaker 1: So it's not just about protecting the calls, it's the
Speaker 1: whole network exactly. Okay, got it.
Speaker 2: The third category, this is a big one, eves dropping
Speaker 2: and traffic analysis.
Speaker 1: Okay. Eavesdropping that's pretty straightforward, so I'm listening in on
Speaker 1: your calls. But traffic analysis what is that?
Speaker 2: It's more subtle. It's about looking for patterns in your communication.
Speaker 2: Even if they can't hear what you're saying, they analyze
Speaker 2: who you're talking to, how often, for how long, all
Speaker 2: those little details, and I.
Speaker 1: Can give them valuable information even if my calls are encrypted.
Speaker 2: Yep. They might not know what you're saying, but they
Speaker 2: could figure out who you're talking to and maybe even
Speaker 2: infer some sensitive info from that.
Speaker 1: That's that's pretty sneaky, it is. Okay. So we've got
Speaker 1: service disruption, unauthorized access, and evesdropping and traffic analysis was
Speaker 1: the last one.
Speaker 2: The fourth category is and we're not talking about prank
Speaker 2: calls here. This is serious stuff, okay, sophisticated schemes designed
Speaker 2: to make money illegally.
Speaker 1: Oh wow, Like what.
Speaker 2: Think toll fraud attackers? They wrote calls through premium rate
Speaker 2: numbers and rack up charges on your account.
Speaker 1: VoIP can be used to steal money.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and it happens to individuals and businesses all
Speaker 2: the time. They might trick you into revealing your VOP credentials,
Speaker 2: like through phishing scams, or they exploit vulnerabilities in the
Speaker 2: system to make unauthorized calls, and those financial losses, especially
Speaker 2: for businesses that rely heavily on VoIP, they can be huge.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've got a good overview to the threats. Now,
Speaker 1: let's dive into the technical details a bit. What makes
Speaker 1: VoIP so vulnerable.
Speaker 2: Well, there are two main areas where things can go wrong.
Speaker 2: Design flaws and implementation flaws. Design flaws those are like
Speaker 2: inherent weaknesses in the protocols or the architecture of VoIP systems.
Speaker 2: I see implementation flaws. Those are bugs and security oversights
Speaker 2: in the software itself.
Speaker 1: So it's like building a house on a shaky foundation
Speaker 1: and then forgetting to lock the doors and windows.
Speaker 2: Uh huh. Yeah, that's a good way to put it,
Speaker 2: and unfortunately VIP systems they have their fair share of both.
Speaker 2: To really dig into these flaws, the book goes into
Speaker 2: something called the common Weakness and numeration. But what the
Speaker 2: cwe It's a huge list of software security weaknesses, the
Speaker 2: ones that attackers exploit most often.
Speaker 1: So it's like a catalog of all the ways hackers
Speaker 1: can break into your system exactly.
Speaker 2: And it's not a short list. There are hundreds of
Speaker 2: potential weaknesses, from simple coding errors to complex architectural vulnerabilities.
Speaker 1: Yikes. Okay, so we've got a lot to cover. But
Speaker 1: before we get lost in all the technical jargon, let's
Speaker 1: look at some specific vulnerabilities, the ones that make VIIP
Speaker 1: such a target for attackers.
Speaker 2: Sounds good to me. One of those vulnerabilities, it's called
Speaker 2: a buffer overflow. It's pretty common and it can be
Speaker 2: really dangerous.
Speaker 1: I've heard of it, buffer overflow, but honestly, really sure
Speaker 1: what it means. Can you explain it like, you know,
Speaker 1: simple terms?
Speaker 2: Okay? Sure. Imagine a mailbox, you know, the kind you
Speaker 2: have at home.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it can only hold so much mail, right, right?
Speaker 1: But what if someone tries to stuff too much in there?
Speaker 2: It overflows? Mail goes everywhere exactly.
Speaker 1: Now, software programs, they have storage space too for data.
Speaker 1: We call those buffers. Okay, And just like with the mailbox,
Speaker 1: if an attacker sends too much data, it overflows. That
Speaker 1: data spills out into other memory locations, and that's bad.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah right, because by carefully crafting that data, attackers
Speaker 1: can actually overwrite specific memory locations. They can inject their
Speaker 1: own malicious code.
Speaker 2: Whoa, So it's like they sneak in a hidden message,
Speaker 2: like in one of those overflowing envelopes.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like a trojan horse hiding malicious code within
Speaker 1: harmless data, sneak, very sneaky. Buffer overflows are well, they're
Speaker 1: an old trick, but they still work, especially if developers
Speaker 1: haven't taken steps to prevent them.
Speaker 2: So buffer overflows bad news. What other vulnerabilities should we
Speaker 2: watch out for.
Speaker 1: Another common one has to do with temporary files.
Speaker 2: Temporary files, Yeah, lots of programs use them to store
Speaker 2: data during processing, but if those files aren't handled securely,
Speaker 2: attackers can get to them.
Speaker 1: So it's like leaving sensitive documents on your desk and
Speaker 1: then just stemping out.
Speaker 2: Of the office exactly. Anyone could just walk by and
Speaker 2: snoop or even tamper with them.
Speaker 1: Not good, Nope.
Speaker 2: If those temporary files are created in the wrong place
Speaker 2: or without proper permissions, attackers can steal info, plant malware,
Speaker 2: even disrupt the program completely.
Speaker 1: So it's not just about securing the VoIP system. The
Speaker 1: underlying software has to be.
Speaker 2: Secured to And speaking of security, we got to talk
Speaker 2: about encryption.
Speaker 1: Okay, encryption. That's where we scramble the data, right, so
Speaker 1: even if someone intercepts it, they can't understand it exactly.
Speaker 2: And there are a bunch of different protocols we can
Speaker 2: use to encrypt VoIP traffic. Each one has its own
Speaker 2: strengths and weaknesses.
Speaker 1: Got it.
Speaker 2: One of the most popular ones is TLS Transport Layer
Speaker 2: Security TLS.
Speaker 1: I think I've seen that before. They like when I'm
Speaker 1: browsing websites. Yep.
Speaker 2: TLS is used all over the Internet. It's great at
Speaker 2: protecting data and transit. It creates a secure channel between say,
Speaker 2: your phone and the VoIP server and encrypts everything that
Speaker 2: flows through it.
Speaker 1: So it's like putting your conversation in a lock box
Speaker 1: and sending it through a secure career service.
Speaker 2: I like that. Now. Another protocol you might see is
Speaker 2: DTLS Datagram Transport Layer Security. It's basically TLS, but for
Speaker 2: DP UDP.
Speaker 1: Right, that's that connectionless protocol. Yeah, faster, but less reliable yep.
Speaker 2: And because UDP doesn't guarantee that packets arrive in order
Speaker 2: or even at all, DTLS has to be a bit
Speaker 2: more clever about how it handles encryption and key exchange.
Speaker 2: But it's still very effective at securing FORIP traffic over UDP.
Speaker 1: So it's like sending that lock box through a less
Speaker 1: reliable postal service. Okay, yeah, it might take longer, some
Speaker 1: pieces might get mixed up, but the contents are still
Speaker 1: protected exactly.
Speaker 2: Then we have CM Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. You've
Speaker 2: probably seen it with email, but it can also be
Speaker 2: used to secure VoIP signaling messages.
Speaker 1: Signaling messages. Those are the ones that set up the call, right,
Speaker 1: not the actual conversation exactly.
Speaker 2: Sev a me encrypts those messages, make sure they're not
Speaker 2: tampered with and that they come from a trusted source
Speaker 2: like adding a digital signature.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've got TLS for the actual conversation, DTLS
Speaker 1: for securing it over UDP, and SMIng on me for
Speaker 1: protecting the setup messages. It seems like a pretty solid
Speaker 1: approach to encryption.
Speaker 2: It is. But there's one more piece key management.
Speaker 1: Key management.
Speaker 2: What's that Well, before you can encrypt or decrypt data,
Speaker 2: you need a key, a secret key, and managing those
Speaker 2: keys securely. That's essential for the whole system to work.
Speaker 1: So if someone gets the key, they can unlock the
Speaker 1: encryption exactly.
Speaker 2: And there are a few different ways to manage keys
Speaker 2: and VoIP systems, each with its own pros and cons.
Speaker 2: Like what one common one is Mikey Multimedia Internet keying.
Speaker 2: It's a pretty robust protocol, supports a bunch of different
Speaker 2: key exchange methods, pre shared keys, public key cryptography, even
Speaker 2: the super secure Diffie Hellman key exchange.
Speaker 1: Wow, that sounds pretty secure.
Speaker 2: It is. Then there's s descriptions or SRTP security descriptions.
Speaker 2: This one's simpler. The keying material is embedded right into
Speaker 2: the session description protocol messages the SDP, so.
Speaker 1: It's like including the key with the message itself instead
Speaker 1: of sending it separately.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. And then we have ZRTPS Zimmerman Real Time
Speaker 2: Transport Protocol named after Phil Zimmerman.
Speaker 1: Wait, Phil Zimmerman, the guy who created PGP so one
Speaker 1: and only. Wow, that's some serious encryption history it is.
Speaker 2: ZRTP is known for its strong security. It uses something
Speaker 2: called perfect forward secrecy.
Speaker 1: Perfect forward secrecy. What's that?
Speaker 2: It means even if the current key is compromised, past
Speaker 2: conversations are still safe.
Speaker 1: I see.
Speaker 2: It's also designed to be resistant to man in the
Speaker 2: middle attacks where someone tries to intercept the key exchange
Speaker 2: and impersonate one of the parties.
Speaker 1: So it's like a self destructing message. It disappears after
Speaker 1: it's read no trace for the bad guys.
Speaker 2: Ah huh, you got it now. ZRTP it's very robust,
Speaker 2: but it can be a bit more complex to implement
Speaker 2: than the other two. Which one you choose it really
Speaker 2: depends on the specific VoIP system and its needs.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've got all these encryption protocols and key
Speaker 1: management mechanisms to keep our conversation safe.
Speaker 2: Right, it's a good start. But encryption is just one
Speaker 2: part of the story. We also need to think about
Speaker 2: the bigger picture, the network environment where all this is happening.
Speaker 1: Right, Because even with encristan, a poorly configured network can
Speaker 1: still leave us vulnerable. It's like having a fortress with
Speaker 1: unbreakable walls, but you leave the gate wide open.
Speaker 2: Perfect analogy. That's why network security controls they're just as
Speaker 2: important as securing the VoIP system itself.
Speaker 1: Okay, so what kind of controls are we talking about.
Speaker 2: Well, one of the most important is network SEGM segmentation.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: By dividing the network into smaller, isolated segments, you limit
Speaker 2: the damage if one part gets compromised.
Speaker 1: So it's like having firewalls within the fortress, so a
Speaker 1: breach in one area doesn't spread to the whole thing exactly.
Speaker 2: Another crucial part is authentication, authorization, and accounting.
Speaker 1: We call it triple A triple A GOT.
Speaker 2: It's that authentication that verifies the identity of users and
Speaker 2: devices before they can access the network. Authorization decides what
Speaker 2: they're allowed to do once they're in, and accounting tracks
Speaker 2: their activity for audits and security analysis.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a really strict doorman ye checking IDs,
Speaker 1: giving out passes, and keeping a log of who comes
Speaker 1: and goes exactly.
Speaker 2: And one protocol that plays a big role in triple
Speaker 2: A is diameter. Diameter Yeah, it enables secure communication between
Speaker 2: different network elements. It handles all those authentication, authorization, and
Speaker 2: accounting functions. It's like the backbone of the whole security system.
Speaker 1: Makes sense. So we've got networks inventation, triple A diameter.
Speaker 1: What else can we use to boost our VOYIP security?
Speaker 2: Well, Firewalls and intrusion detection systems are essential for monitoring
Speaker 2: and controlling traffic. Firewalls they act like gatekeepers, blocking unauthorized access.
Speaker 2: Intrusion detection systems scan traffic for anything suspicious and alert
Speaker 2: us to potential attacks.
Speaker 1: So they're like our digital watchdogs. I like it.
Speaker 2: And then there are the session border controllers. We talked
Speaker 2: about those earlier, the SBCs.
Speaker 1: Right right, Where do those fit?
Speaker 2: In? SBCs? Those are specialized firewalls built just for FORIP.
Speaker 2: They can inspect and filter traffic both signaling and media,
Speaker 2: block malicious messages, enforced security policies, even prevent toll fraud.
Speaker 1: Wow, they sound pretty powerful.
Speaker 2: They are. They're like the ultimate VoIP security guards, standing
Speaker 2: at the edge of the network, making sure only the
Speaker 2: good traffic gets through.
Speaker 1: So we've got all these tools and techniques to protect
Speaker 1: our networks. That's great, but what about the people who
Speaker 1: manage them?
Speaker 2: A big part too, right, huge part human error. It's
Speaker 2: a major factor in a lot of security breaches. Administrators
Speaker 2: they need training. They need to be vigilant. They need
Speaker 2: to understand how VoIP security works, know how to configure
Speaker 2: systems securely, and how to respond quickly and effectively if
Speaker 2: something happens.
Speaker 1: Right, it's not just about having the right tools. You
Speaker 1: got to use in the.
Speaker 2: Right way exactly. And this brings us to a really
Speaker 2: important point. Security it's not a one time thing. It's
Speaker 2: an ongoing process. Makes we have to constantly monitor our systems,
Speaker 2: update software, and stay informed about new threats and vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2: It's a never ending battle.
Speaker 1: Sounds exhausting it.
Speaker 2: Can be, but with the right knowledge, tools, and a
Speaker 2: bit of vigilance, we can stay ahead of the bad
Speaker 2: guys keep our VoIP systems safe.
Speaker 1: Okay, So we've covered a lot technical details, the network environment.
Speaker 1: It's a lot to take in. But before we move on,
Speaker 1: what are some key takeaways for our listeners?
Speaker 2: All right, first takeaway VoIP security. It's a complex issue,
Speaker 2: lots of moving parts. It's not just about protecting conversations,
Speaker 2: it's about protecting our entire digital line right.
Speaker 1: Understanding the threats, the vulnerabilities and the solutions yep.
Speaker 2: Second takeaway, security is everyone's responsibility. It's not just for
Speaker 2: it experts.
Speaker 1: So we all need to do our part. Choose strong passwords,
Speaker 1: report anything suspicious. We're all in this together exactly.
Speaker 2: And the final takeaway security it's a journey, not a destination.
Speaker 2: We have to stay informed, stay alert, and never stop learning.
Speaker 2: The threats are always changing, so we have to adapt.
Speaker 1: Well said, I think that wraps up Part two of
Speaker 1: our VoIP security deep dive, but there's more to come.
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the deep dive. In this final part,
Speaker 1: we're going to shift gears a bit. Okay, we've been
Speaker 1: talking about the nuts and bolts of IP security, all
Speaker 1: the technical details, but now we're going to look at
Speaker 1: the practical side. How do you actually secure VoIP in
Speaker 1: different environments? Yeah, that's key because securing a massive enterprise
Speaker 1: network that's a whole different beast than you protecting your
Speaker 1: personal calls at.
Speaker 2: Home, totally different. One size fits all just doesn't cut it.
Speaker 1: Nope. So let's start with the big fish, large enterprises,
Speaker 1: companies with complex networks, tons of users, mountains of sensitive data.
Speaker 1: What are their main concerns with VOIAP security?
Speaker 2: For them, it's all about scale managing that complexity. They
Speaker 2: have to secure the VoIP system itself, sure, but also
Speaker 2: the whole network infrastructure, user access, integrations with other systems.
Speaker 2: It's a lot.
Speaker 1: It's like trying to secure a whole city pretty much.
Speaker 2: Think about it. Customer databases, financial records, internal communications. It
Speaker 2: all needs protection.
Speaker 1: So where do you even begin.
Speaker 2: First you've got to understand the threats, the specific risks
Speaker 2: they face. What data is most valuable, Where are the
Speaker 2: weak points? Who are the attackers?
Speaker 1: Right?
Speaker 2: Once they've got a clear picture of that, then they
Speaker 2: can start building a security strategy multi layered of course.
Speaker 1: Okay, so it's about prioritizing, focusing on the most critical stuff.
Speaker 1: What would a solid enterprise RIP security strategy?
Speaker 2: You look like it's all about combining the things we
Speaker 2: talked about strong authentication, encryption, network segmentation, firewalls, intrusion detection
Speaker 2: systems right right, and of course those session border controllers
Speaker 2: the SBCs.
Speaker 1: Ah, yes, the SBCs. They're like the guardians of the
Speaker 1: VoIP network.
Speaker 2: Right exactly. They control access, enforce the rules.
Speaker 1: I bet they're essential for enterprises.
Speaker 2: Oh absolutely, SBCs can block bad traffic, prevent unauthorized access.
Speaker 2: They can even enforce quality of service and help with
Speaker 2: compliance regulation.
Speaker 1: Wow, they really are the MVPs of VoIP security. Okay,
Speaker 1: so enterprises, they need a pretty sophisticated approach. What about
Speaker 1: smaller businesses? Are they still at risk?
Speaker 2: Oh? Definitely, small businesses. They're often targets because they might
Speaker 2: not have as many resources dedicated to security.
Speaker 1: Makes sense.
Speaker 2: They might have simpler systems, but that doesn't mean they're
Speaker 2: not vulnerable.
Speaker 1: So what should small businesses be thinking about when it
Speaker 1: comes to VOIAP security.
Speaker 2: Well, first they need to understand the our own risks.
Speaker 2: What kind of information are they sending over VoIP? How
Speaker 2: much do they rely on it for their business? What
Speaker 2: happens if there's a breach?
Speaker 1: Right? What's the potential damage?
Speaker 2: Exactly? Once they know that, they can start putting the
Speaker 2: right security measures in place. Strong passwords, encryption, firewalls, intrusion
Speaker 2: detection systems.
Speaker 1: All essential even for small businesses.
Speaker 2: Even for small businesses and those SBCs they can be
Speaker 2: a good option too.
Speaker 1: Really, I thought those were just for big companies.
Speaker 2: There are solutions out there designed specifically for smaller setups,
Speaker 2: enterprise grade security without the enterprise grade price tech.
Speaker 1: That's great. So even small businesses can get that high
Speaker 1: level protection without breaking the bank exactly.
Speaker 2: And of course don't underestimate the human factor. Training employees
Speaker 2: on basic security practices, choosing strong passwords, recognizing those fishing scams.
Speaker 2: That goes a long way.
Speaker 1: Right. Security awareness is key, no matter the size of
Speaker 1: the business.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. Now let's talk about individual users, the everyday folks
Speaker 2: making calls, video chatting. Do we need to worry about
Speaker 2: VIP security too.
Speaker 1: I think a lot of people assume they're not a target,
Speaker 1: like they're too small for anyone to care.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a common misconception. Individuals might not be the
Speaker 2: main focus of those big, sophisticated attacks, but they can
Speaker 2: still be victims eavesdropping, call hijacking, even identity thefts.
Speaker 1: WHOA so even my tasual conversations could.
Speaker 2: Be at risk, especially if you're using public Wi Fi.
Speaker 1: Ah, right, those are notoriously insecure. Okay, So what can
Speaker 1: we do to protect ourselves?
Speaker 2: First, be smart about where you're making calls public Wi Fi,
Speaker 2: try to avoid it, or at least use a VPN.
Speaker 1: AH VPN a digital tunnel for your data good practice
Speaker 1: anyway for sure.
Speaker 2: And always use strong passwords, unique ones for your VIP accounts.
Speaker 2: Don't reuse passwords from other sites. Consider using a password manager.
Speaker 1: Good tips. What about encryption? Those protocols we talked about earlier,
Speaker 1: Should we be thinking about that too?
Speaker 2: Absolutely? Lots ofp providers offer encryption, turn it on. It
Speaker 2: adds a really strong layer of protection, makes eavesdropping way harder.
Speaker 1: So even my chats with like my grandma can benefit
Speaker 1: from high tech security exactly.
Speaker 2: And if you're really serious about privacy, there are services
Speaker 2: out there that focus on end to end encryption. Only
Speaker 2: you and the person you're talking to you have the keys.
Speaker 1: Interesting. Okay, So we've covered some good tips, be careful
Speaker 1: about your network, strong passwords, encryption, anything else we should remember.
Speaker 2: Just remember security, it's an ongoing thing. Stay up to
Speaker 2: date on the latest threats, keep your software updated and
Speaker 2: don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
Speaker 2: There are tons of resources online and voyft providers often
Speaker 2: have support for security stuff.
Speaker 1: Great advice. Well, I think we've covered a lot of
Speaker 1: ground in this deep dive, the technical stuff, the threats,
Speaker 1: and most importantly, how to protect ourselves.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we really went deep. Hopefully everyone learned something and
Speaker 2: feels a bit more confident about navigating the world of OIP.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, knowledge is power, and when it comes to security,
Speaker 1: knowing more helps you stay safe, protect yourself and your
Speaker 1: digital life. Well that brings us to the end of
Speaker 1: our deep dive into boy IP security.
Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us, Thanks for having me