You are in
crosshairs as a primary target of computer hackers if you own a computer or operate on un-secure VoIP (computer phone) services.John Ashcroft, Attorney General, in remarks at High Technology Crime Investigation Association 2004 International Training Conference held on September 13, 2004 stated, “We have seen worms and viruses attack…disrupting basic services…And with increased use of Internet and especially peer-to-peer networking, we have seen malicious code spread more quickly and infect more personal computers than ever before. The cost of these worms, viruses, and denial-of-service attacks…reaches into billions of dollars.”
In an article written by Daniel A. Morris, Assistant US Attorney, Computer and Telecommunications Coordinator with District of Nebraska stated in “Tracking a Computer Hacker”, that “The modern thief can steal more with a computer than with a gun. Tomorrow’s terrorist may be able to do more damage with a keyboard than with a bomb.”
Ralph Echemendia, head of Intense School which trains executives regarding network security risks, stated that “Telecom providers are one of main targets for malicious attackers because they control communications for everybody.”
Sophisticated hackers have learned how to tap into sensitive information traveling on Internet, and their focal point is communication.
How is this possible?
It is fairly simple. First, you should be aware that email services operate off of email servers, and web services operate off of web servers. Both email servers and web servers are built for data and not for voice.
Because VoIP has voice, it requires a system that will convert voice into data packets to travel across Internet, and then convert back to voice at destination. However, VoIP should not be considered just another application residing on a data network, as it necessitates a real time service due to performance expectations (e.g., quality of sound).
