How to Keep SIP Trunking Services Secure

SIP trunking services are often vulnerable to security risks, which is why you should look more closely at your SIP phones to determine if they are truly secure. The very fact that SIP telephony connects to the Web means that without the proper security measures, it is vulnerable to attacks.
What SIP trunking customers need to remember is that while SIP providers might keep the admin login secure, user logins might be exploitable. Unfortunately, it’s the user logins that are often widely posted with documentation, disclosed passwords for new users, and revealed workarounds. This information could be dangerous in the wrong hands, but making sure that SIP is secure at all times will avoid any issues.
Place a Higher Emphasis on Security
While it may be more convenient for users to be able to modify certain aspects of their logins, including specific data fields, it might be better to sacrifice those permissions for the sake of security.
SIP customers should consider how they will avoid SIP attacks. One of the best ways to secure an SIP system is to ensure that the only traffic coming through is from the provider’s ports and IPs. SIP devices used off-site are protectable with Virtual Private Networks along with other security options.
There should be no holes in your network, and keeping them covered might mean sacrificing some user abilities.
Keeping Separate VLANs
To further improve SIP trunking security, companies should try to keep devices on separate VLANs, even if they both connect to the same cable in the same LAN. To do this effectively, each port should only have access to certain VLANs, with the firewall and router actively monitoring and regulating traffic on each VLAN.
The one time there may be a management problem with this process is if the organization is using phones that aren’t purchased from the SIP service provider. Providers won’t support any devices that aren’t bought from them, and they will also refuse to support endpoint management if customers insist on retaining total control over logins on the system. The reason for these restrictions is because of providers’ reasonable fear of security breaches.
In order to avoid attacks that can cause several services and programs to fail at a time, SIP trunking customers should closely examine their network ports and determine if those ports put the network at risk. Organizations should make sure that they understand exactly how each device connects to the network.
Use a Session Border Controller
A highly effective way to keep your SIP network secure is to use a session border controller (SBC) on both the service provider and customer ends. VoIP systems are extremely vulnerable to vicious attacks if left unchecked, but the SBC helps make sure that all network traffic is controlled and properly routed. An SBC avoids the issues found with VPNs, mainly, timeouts that go unnoticed because of the network still appearing connected. Companies should know which specific platform the SBC is designed for prior to using it.
Setting up simple firewalls might seem like a thorough security fix for SIP trunking, but the fact is that organizations need to do more to keep their networks entirely secure. SIP needs to be properly maintained and configured from the start, which is vital for a system that connects to so many internal and external locations. Believing that thorough VoIP security measures are simple and quick could result in a costly compromise.