Telecom Infrastructure PBX Vulnerabilities and Associated Threats

Although most companies today have improved security on their data networks, thus cutting down on white-collar crime and hack attacks, too few have paid enough attention to their PBX system. The PBX remains a potentially huge back door problem for data . . . Although most companies today have improved security on their data networks, thus cutting down on white-collar crime and hack attacks, too few have paid enough attention to their PBX system. The PBX remains a potentially huge back door problem for data network security. "Many corporates have implemented firewalls as well as stringent anti-virus and content filtering applications to reduce attack and fraud," says John van den Munckhof, managing director of Dimension Data Interactive Communications. "The PBX, however, remains a significant loophole. All the perimeter security in the world can be bypassed by a poorly configured authorised or unauthorised modem."

Indeed, as a leading communications publication puts it: "If you want to do real damage to a business or institution, telecom infrastructure is probably a better target than the corporate LAN or Web site. PBX hacking may not sound glamorous by comparison with elite Internet penetrations, but it can be just as damaging. Attacks on PBXs, ACDS, voicemail, voice-response units, and other infrastructure can bring down a company: make it unable to function, expose its secrets, damage its reputation, burden it with telephone charges and the cost of re-provisioning and repair after damage is done." (Source: Communications Convergence, April 2002. Securing your Switch by John Jainschigg.)

By not securing the PBX, companies risk a number of costly problems.

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