Poor VoIP installation could result in security risks

All business technology must be installed properly. Those that aren't could lead to a myriad of severe problems for an organization. Some companies may feel as if they can get away with cutting corners during the installation process, but they tend to ultimately suffer the most in the long run. VoIP falls directly under this category.

This blog has discussed the importance of establishing secure VoIP systems in the past, and that philosophy must be followed throughout the ownership of the system, starting with installation. According to an article in the online publication Biz Community, a growing trend in the cyber criminal ring is toll fraud, which has transitioned to VoIP fraud concurrently with the rise of the technology.

This type of fraud occurs when criminals essentially hack into a VoIP system and make several calls which ultimately eats up an organization's minutes, drastically increasing the monthly bill. Some victims have suffered from bills as high as 10 times more expensive than their monthly average. Most small businesses cannot afford this kind of financial hit and could go under quickly if they do not take measures to prevent this activity from happening in the first place.

VoIP solutions provider Greg Massel spoke with the news source about the cause of the problem and concluded that most victims are companies that rush installation in an effort to reduce costs. 

"Toll fraud problems arise when SMEs believe they can magnify the savings afforded by VoIP technology by using an under-qualified person to install their office PBXs," Massel said. "Unfortunately, in the long run, using an internal employee not adequately versed in the installation of VoIP switchboards can be extremely costly for a number of reasons."

Working with an IT support and VoIP service provider can help companies ensure they properly install their systems and follow security protocols.

From our offices in Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland, PRO OnCall is your single-source technology consulting service, offering managed IT support, unified communications solutions and on-call IT support.