Enterprises must avoid IP telephony for teleworkers or face attack

Enterprises have been warned to avoid IP telephony for staff engaged in teleworking. While tweaking firewalls for premium VoIP traffic allows easier remote access in a telework environment, it can also create a potential security hole putting the network at risk.

Security firm Assurance.com.au director, Neil Wise, said hackers can access a network by locating the address of VoIP Web servers on Google or by scanning for commonalities in mail server protection lists.

"If users fail to change default settings, hackers can access a hole into the network by locating the VoIP Web server [on Google] and could find usernames and passwords in installation documentation from the vendor's Web site," Wise said.