You Need Carrier-Grade Mousetraps in the World of VoIP

Security is a never-ending threat on the Internet, and the proliferation of Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, increases these risks to a new level.

East Brunswick, NJ (PRWEB) April 13, 2005 -- Security is a never-ending threat on the Internet, and the proliferation of Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, increases these risks to a new level.

Service providers must grapple with the reality that the voice transmission they are providing their customers will never be 100 percent secure," cautions Yaron Raps, likening controlling security on the Internet to stopping spam, overnight. It is a challenge that takes continuous work and is more akin to building a better mousetrap -- until the next new mouse comes along, It is not enough to install a firewall and say my network is secure. That just wont take care of the problem in an environment where IP traffic traverses multiple hops within a single network and then spans multiple networks."

Mr. Raps is a solution partner at BusinessEdge Solutions, an industry-focused business and technology consulting firm offering operational strategy, business process and system integration solutions to clients in the communications industry. On Wednesday, April 13 -- Friday, April 15, Mr. Raps will discuss relevant security issues at the 2005 VoIPossibilities in Dallas. In a panel discussion, The Security Issues Surrounding VoIP," Mr. Raps will join other industry experts and outline the implications of these security issues for telecom service providers who, Mr. Raps says, must understand that as VoIP proliferates, the need for end-to-end network security multiplies.

There are hackers today focused on the PSTN and the Internet, but VoIP, which unites the worlds of voice and the Internet, exacerbates the existing security vulnerabilities inherent in both," Mr. Raps says. Further, VoIP introduces unique security and fraud threats that never existed before."

With extensive expertise in all aspects of converged network services deployment and management, Mr. Raps has more than 10 years of experience planning, designing and launching carrier-grade VoIP services. Thats been ample time to witness the reality and impact of security breaches. He says that service providers must be vigilant and protect against an array of traditional and new threats, including:
· Hackers who tap into a network to get free phone service -- or similarly make international calls at domestic rates
· Users who are able to 'draw multiple dial tones but appear as a single line to the carrier
· Individuals who hijack the IP-Phone profile can replicate that across multiple devices and make free phone calls
· Callers who spoof their identity and become impossible to track
· Hackers who tap into the network just for fun and threaten the integrity, stability and potentially, access to emergency services
· Quality that can be compromised because of the real-time nature of VoIP transmissions and the impact that viruses and denial of service-type attacks have on latency over the public Internet

Mr. Raps, whose credentials include designing and launching a VoIP service for a major U.S. telco, was also instrumental in the design and launch of Norways largest VoIP network. He currently directs BusinessEdge Solutions teams that are engaged in supporting consumer and business services VoIP platforms for other US carriers and cable operators.

VoIPossibilities focuses exclusively on the independent operating company (IOC) sector. Sponsored by the two leading independent telecom trade associations, the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) and the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO), VoIPossibilities will draw more than 500 key decision makers from independent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and their subsidiaries across the country.

Telco service providers must focus on designing systems that will segregate VoIP traffic from the public Internet so that the later wont pollute their VoIP systems," Mr. Raps says.

With VoIP usage still in its infancy, the optimal time to act and build safeguards is now."

About BusinessEdge Solutions Inc.
BusinessEdge Solutions Inc. is an industry-focused business technology and consulting firm offering operational strategy, business process and system integrations solutions to clients in the communications, life sciences, financial services and insurance industries. The company drives competitive advantage for its clients by leveraging innovative Reusable Solution Accelerators (RSAs) to reduce the time, cost and risk of client engagements. BusinessEdge is distinctive among consulting firms in that its multidisciplinary consultants have an average of 12 years of industry experience and expertise. This strong knowledge and experience base is at the core of the companys unwavering commitment to create vision for its clients -- and is the driver behind the company's delivery of high-impact, cutting edge solutions. VoIP is one of the companys many service offerings. See www.businessedge.com for a complete listing of all solutions and service offerings.

For more information, contact:
Patrick Mullen 732 213.3937
Barbara Mannino 732 839.3175

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