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Archive for the ‘VoIP’ Category

VoIP home phone services have penetrated almost every sector of the market. The communication sector and demands are so diverse that there are now VoIP service providers that have specialized in catering the corporate sector and some have specialized in catering to the needs of the residential sector. Hence these service providers are sometimes identified as VoIP home phone service providers and business VoIP service providers. Though the success of VoIP service is evident due to a variety of reasons however critics have continually argued the vulnerability of the technology. As Voice over Internet Protocol operate via the internet, therefore, as the internet is prone to hackers and viruses similarly so are VoIP systems. This article highlights a few arguments and facts related to Voice over Internet Protocol services and their vulnerability to worms & viruses and hackers.

In 2004, it was highlighted by the Attorney General; John Ashcroft in his remarks to the High Technology Crime Investigation Association, International Training Conference which was held in late 2004. He clearly pointed out that the systems online were prone to attacks and viruses when they were communicating via servers, but as the use of peer to peer application has increased; exchange of communication from person to person, systems are more prone to virus attacks and hackers. The cost of these attacks and the damages they cause every year including identity thefts amounts to billions of dollars per annum.

The extent of these attacks and the severity of the situation can be anticipated by the statement of the Assistant US Attorney in the District of Nebraska which highlighted that if a system or network is infected with a worm or if a hacker is able to gain access to the system than he or she may be able to steal more than what one can steal with a gun in his hand. Worms and Viruses are the real terrorist in the computer world, as they pose great danger to billions of internet users around the world.

Hackers today have learned their way around the sophisticated networks and protocols, which has allowed them to access personal information which has led to identity thefts on various occasions. The question that one might ask is how is this possible?

The science behind this fact is that to ensure a voice quality and optimal service, each VoIP user is assigned a spate Internet Protocol or widely known as IP address. Each computer or hardware that is connected to the internet is automatically assigned a separate IP address which corresponds to a specific user. For instance one IP address will be associated with a specific street number, house number, zip code, city and state. Therefore, an IP address which are merely numbers and identify each user. As most of the VoIP services, whether residential VoIP or business VoIP operate via standard industry protocol which are open and hence hackers infect these systems with worms which allows them access to the system.

Fortunately, scientists worked quite swiftly on the VoIP service threats. Now, they have overcome approximately all the threats mentioned above. We can use VoIP home phone service as well as VoIP business service with full confidence. These threats have become a part of the textbooks only now a day.