Most companies go to great lengths and expense to protect their PC’s, Servers and Networks from hacking attacks by using specialist hardware such as Firewalls and UTMs (Unified Threat Management Systems), however most don’t even think about their telephone systems, which are typically left completely unprotected and extremely vulnerable to hackers (phreakers).
Phone System hacking or PBX phreaking as it is often referred to, is the unauthorised use of an organisations telecoms resources by external individuals to make telephone calls. Hackers or phreakers do this to obtain free calls, steal company information and/or cause malicious damage.
Telecoms fraud can be extremely costly for businesses, with the level of debt generated through a single hacked or phreaked phone system often running into the tens of thousands of pounds. Unfortunately phreaking has become very big business and is normally related to organised crime gangs who are not particular when choosing their intended victim, as no one with a phone system is safe from this lucrative yet extremely difficult to trace criminal activity.
Phreakers typically strike after hours, at the weekend or during Public Holidays when detection is least likely, and by the time you do realise you’ve been phreaked, it’s too late as you will already be fully responsible for the cost of the illegal calls that have been made from your phone system.
You may be thinking 'why should I be concerned', I'm unlikely to be targeted? Well the facts surrounding phreaking are quite astonishing, for example:
- The UK is one of the top five global hot spots for communication fraud
- Communication fraud is estimated to be running at between $60 - $80 billion worldwide
- In 2008 a survey of 250 organisations showed that 40% had been victim of telecom fraud
- It is estimated that telecom fraud is now 4 times more prevalent than credit card fraud
Communication Fraud Control Association (www.cfca.org)
Phreaking Summary
- PABX/PBX hacking (phreaking) is common. It's organised crime and big business
- Telephone systems everywhere are targets & telecommunications bandits know how to gain access to your phone system by reconfiguring it to route their own calls through it
- Phreakers can hack phone systems, voicemail boxes & PINs in a few seconds to gain illegal access to your extensions
- Most toll fraud is generated after hours when it's least likely to be detected
- Phreakers normally route the most expensive international calls through private phone systems
- Terrorist organisations use telecommunications fraud to generate funds by illegally gaining access to private phone systems and then re-selling the service
The Solution - Control Phreak 'Zero Tolerance'
Control Phreak, a PBX/PABX Firewall application from Callista, automatically stops phreaking in its tracks. You decide how liberal or restrictive the flow of call traffic will be through your phone system and you're always in control of the rules governing this flow, so that the legitimate phone traffic of your business is never compromised, while your phone system remains completely safe from phreakers.
Control Phreak applies your call authorisation rules continuously and automatically 24 hours a day or for the time period you specify, providing automatic and continuous protection for your phone system. Unauthorised inbound, outbound and diverted calls (the usual route of phreakers) are killed instantly without you having to lift a finger. Unattended modems and voicemail ports are also monitored for illegal activity, and any attempts to hijack them for unauthorised call activity are killed instantly - zero tolerance.
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