Behavioural analysis 'best way' to ensure VoIP security

IT security firms and companies using VoIP should protect their network using behavioural analysis, an expert has suggested.

Geoff Sweeney, chief technical officer for IT security vendor Tier-3, said that behavioural analysis was the best way to keep a VoIP network secure despite recent research from Sipera Systems finding that the risks were increasing.

"Sipera's research, which has identified no less than seven current threats against VoIP telephony users, shows how diverse IT security threats have become," he said.

"Whilst specialist VoIP security software exists to protect company systems, behavioural analysis is the only real safety net that organisations need to tackle unknown threats."

Behavioural analysis involves using programs to keep tabs on network activity and identify when the system is under attack from outside sources, such as a hacker or worm.

It can then either take emergency action or inform security staff about the possible breach.

Mr Sweeney said that, as the list of possible threats grows all the time, monitoring the details of your own network may be better than trying to keep all security applications up to date.

"Okay, you can add new IT security software as it arrives to your protective system, but controlling all these new applications is going to be a full-time job," he said.