Is Someone Going to SPIT on You?
If you use VoIP, you’re probably highly aware of the fact that it’s considered to be an area of high hacking risk in the months to come. This risk comes along with another problem which may be less serious but is just as annoying: SPIT. This term, which stands for “spam over internet telephony”, is the common name which we use to refer to VoIP spam. In other words, it’s when your phone rings and it’s junk voice mail on the other end of the line. No one wants to be SPIT on. But just how great is your risk?
In two different posts recently, bloggers over at Tech Republic took a look at the relative risk of increased SPIT as a result of changing voice communications technology. Deb Shinder looked at the general security risks of Unified Communications. Following that post, Chad Perrin looked at SPIT risks related to advanced VoIP technology. Both bloggers looked at the seriousness of the issue. They seem to have concluded that although there is some increased risk of SPIT, there are also increased protections for it. This means that the problem may not be as prolific as some people fear.
The consensus among VoIP security experts seems to be that we do need to carefully watch what happens with VoIP and communications changes in the years to come. However, they’ve been saying this for several years now and the risks don’t seem to have increased significantly even as VoIP has started to see more widespread use. It seems that the makers of security software and safeguards have managed to stay on top of this area for the time being. The risk is that more rapid adoption of VoIP amongst businesses could lead to increased risks which will require more security than what is currently available.
The key for businesses is to stay on top of the latest security news. Chances are that as rapidly as new SPIT techniques are developed, new protections will be put in place. Businesses that remain aware of the problems as they arise and work to protect themselves with new technology as it becomes available shouldn’t face too many problems from VoIP spammers. As with any other aspect of your business, nipping problems in the bud is crucial to limiting their impact.
Question of the Day: Do you believe that there is an increased risk of SPIT and VoIP security risks in 2008 as compared with 5 years ago?
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