Protect Your Phone System from Hackers

Imagine opening your phone bill to find thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges.

Unfortunately, it’s a reality for many businesses, as hackers in the U.S. and abroad use company phone systems to rack up thousands in long-distance charges.

These criminals can also hack into a company’s phone system, then call its customers using the company’s caller ID in an attempt to obtain private information such as bank account numbers or passwords.

They sneak in using remote access to employee voicemails and phone lines that aren’t properly protected. These special features—a convenient way for workers to stay connected when out of the office—can also open the door for criminals.

There are a few important—and relatively simple—steps you can take to be sure your phone system is protected.

Always change default passwords.
Hackers know the default pass- words to common phone systems. A business that doesn’t change them becomes an easy target. Employee voicemail boxes can be vulnerable as well. Set policies to have employees periodically change passwords.

Disable unused features.
Deactivate features such as remote access to voicemail or call forwarding for employees who do not use and/or need them. Your phone system provider should be able to help with this. Disable features when an employee leaves the company.

Restrict international calling.
Limit or block international calling capabilities from your phone system or from specific extensions. It’s a good idea to set up these restrictions both with your telephone company and on your telephone system.

Consider Hosted PBX.
With access and features routed through Socket’s servers in the cloud instead of a physical phone system, your business becomes much less vulnerable to attacks.

Don’t wait to secure your phone system until you open an expensive bill filled with fraudulent charges. Stay a step ahead of hackers by taking these precautions to protect your business.