The Holiday Season brings a lot of joy. Unfortunately the Holiday Season also means Hacking Season as the number of attacks increases and also the hackers’ success chances.
Hackers will trawl the internet using specially designed scripts, looking for vulnerabilities in a VoIP users firewall – like an open port. Once a weakness is detected, the hackers will try and authenticate their access and gain control of a PBX system. This is particularly easy if the system operator is still using the default password, or using a generic password that’s easy to crack. Once the password has been cracked, they will have control over the traffic that passes through the PBX system.
Once your PBX is in control of an overseas computer hacker, they need to turn that control into revenue before the network operator realises something is awry. The usual method is to direct your traffic to a premium-rate phone number, where you’re charged per-minute above the cost of the call connection – like an adult chat number or a psychic hotline. And at the time you notice this, your invoice will be sky high.
The amount and variety of cyber threats is constantly increasing. Although awareness among potential victims is on the rise, attackers continue to develop more sophisticated threats and the drivers to hack become more dominant as the potential gain from a successful cyberattack keeps growing. Hackers also constantly improve their ability to lure, which is crucial for their success.
Axeos does not manage your pbx. You and your supplier or administrator are responsible for a sound security of your pbx. Your administrator should do the utmost to prevent pbx misuse.
Hacking can also start from within your own network, for instance from an infected pc. In that case your firewall cannot do much to prevent this.
Axeos PBX offers options to lower the risks drastically. We have written step-by-step instructions you can carry out, so you will be able to use your pbx safely.
Please continue reading in our step-by-step instructions.
