'VoIP security needs to improve'

The rapid growth experienced by the VoIP industry could slow as a result of fears over security, according to an industry expert.

Research from Newport Networks suggests that the technology is attracting more attention from hackers, with private VoIP calls being accessed to steal usernames and passwords.

This information can then be used to connect to the telephone service for free by transferring the costs on to the bill payer.

This form of identity theft is proving lucrative, with VoIP account details being sold for around £9. In comparison, credit card information generally retails online for about £6.

Dave Gladwin, vice president of products at Newport Networks, told the BBC: "It [this type of crime] is still at an embryonic stage but as voice adoption increases it becomes more of a problem and needs addressing."

He added that VoIP technology in the home is often vulnerable to hackers because they connect to the internet via unsecured Wi-Fi networks.