VoIP providers urged to be aware of security threats

Service providers should better prepare themselves to combat security threats as the VoIP market evolves, experts claim.

According to report by Light Reading's VOIP Services Insider, most VoIP users are "not securing their networks adequately" despite some "hard lessons" during the early security problems with email and the internet.

Denise Culver, research analyst and report author, said that many VoIP providers believe that this is down to users "simply not understanding how to adequately secure their networks", which could point to the need for greater education and training.

However, Ms Culver points out that VoIP service providers should study the security threats which have previously affected other communications technologies.

"Because many of the threats that VoIP providers can expect already have originated in the data world, there is some level of planning and expectation that VoIP security providers can take," she explained.

"One trend to expect in the coming months will be for VoIP vendors to partner with security providers, since they have already dealt with many of the problems expected on the VoIP front."

The report also indicates that SIP trunking could be particularly vulnerable to security breaches as it is a rapidly growing market.