Many businesses are still wary about making the move to VoIP phone systems because they have security concerns. While the cloud is safer than ever before, there are steps you can take to further enhance security so that you can confidently take advantage of the latest communication tools.
- Use a router with a firewall. Avoid connecting your phone directly to the internet and make sure that you are using a router with a firewall that will actively block unauthorized access to your network.
- Limit access to your networking equipment. All of your equipment should be stored in a secured room and only authorized personnel on the IT team should be able to access the room.
- Monitor call logs. Regularly check the call logs to identify any unusual activity. This will help give you an idea of what regular use looks like so that you can easily pick up on variations that could indicate abuse or a security breach.
- Require a two-factor authentication. Since the early days of security, experts have been emphasizing the importance of strong passwords, yet people still tend to use weak options that are easy to remember. You can help prevent this by requiring employees to regularly update passwords and using a two-factor authentication process.
- Use geo-fencing. Hackers will often try to attack your network from foreign countries. If you don’t need to make international calls, you can restrict the system so that it cannot send or receive calls from other countries. You can also authorize certain numbers to allow communication between trusted partners.
- Be aware of security updates. As attackers find new ways to assault networks, VoIP systems will issue patches to improve security. It is important to stay on top of these patches and make sure that your system is up-to-date.
- Outsource SaaS management. Take the hassle and worry out of maintaining your system by hiring a SaaS management company and turning over the details to experts who can keep everything updated and secure.
- Create user permissions. You can further restrict access with user permissions so that only certain people with the right credentials are able to view information and make changes to the network.
- Educate employees about security best practices. Spending some time educating employees about the importance of security and what sort of suspicious behavior to look for can create an important first line of defense.
- Use intrusion prevention systems. Work with your VoIP provider and/or IT team to use intrusion prevention systems to monitor activity while also ensuring a maximum quality of service.
- Encrypt all data. All data that is sent between the VoIP system and the network should be encrypted. With this layer of protection, even if a hacker is able to infiltrate the system, they won’t be able to understand the data.
- Protect against port scanning. Hackers use port scanning to identify phones with IP addresses. The phone will ring, but once it is answered, no one will respond. Networks can easily protect against these scans by implementing the right settings.
Putting some simple security practices in place can help you enjoy a safe network and advanced VoIP system. For more information about ways to improve your security, contact the team at Network South.