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Exposed VoIP Services

Threat NG Staff

In cybersecurity, exposed VoIP services refer to any elements of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system accessible from the public internet without adequate security measures in place. This can include various components and protocols that make the system vulnerable to cyberattacks.1

Some examples of exposed VoIP services include:

  • Unsecured VoIP phones: If the devices themselves lack strong passwords or encryption, attackers might gain control over them, eavesdrop on conversations, make unauthorized calls, or disrupt service.

  • Open SIP ports: Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is commonly used for VoIP signaling.2 If the ports used for SIP communication are left open and unprotected, attackers can exploit them to launch denial-of-service attacks, intercept calls, or gain access to the network.

  • Vulnerable web interfaces: Many VoIP systems have web interfaces for management and configuration.3 If these interfaces are not correctly secured with strong passwords, encryption, and access controls, they can be exploited by attackers to gain control of the system.4

  • Lack of encryption: VoIP calls and signaling traffic should be encrypted to protect against eavesdropping and tampering.5 attackers can intercept and potentially manipulate conversations if encryption is not implemented or is poorly configured.6

The risks associated with exposed VoIP services are significant and can include:

  • Eavesdropping: Attackers can listen to conversations, potentially stealing sensitive information or gaining valuable business intelligence.7

  • Denial of service: Attackers can flood the system with traffic, making it unavailable for legitimate users.8

  • Call hijacking: Attackers can take control of calls, potentially redirecting them to premium-rate numbers or impersonating legitimate callers.9

  • Data breaches: Attackers can gain access to sensitive data stored on the VoIP system, such as call logs, voicemail messages, and contact lists.10

  • Reputational damage: Security breaches can damage an organization's reputation and erode customer trust.11

To mitigate the risks of exposed VoIP services, organizations should:

  • Implement strong passwords and access controls: Ensure all devices and web interfaces are protected with strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication.12

  • Use encryption: Encrypt all VoIP calls and signaling traffic using secure protocols such as TLS and SRTP.13

  • Regularly update firmware and software: Keep all VoIP components up to date with the latest security patches.14

  • Conduct security audits: Regularly assess the security of the VoIP system to identify and address any vulnerabilities.15

  • Use a firewall: A firewall can help to block unauthorized access to the VoIP system from the internet.16

  • Educate users: Train employees on VoIP security best practices, such as recognizing and avoiding phishing scams and other social engineering attacks.17

By taking these steps, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of their VoIP services being exposed and compromised.

ThreatNG can help secure exposed VoIP services by:

1. Discovery and Assessment: ThreatNG can scan your organization's external attack surface, including IP ranges and subdomains, to identify any exposed VoIP services or devices. It can detect open SIP ports, vulnerable web interfaces, and other weaknesses that attackers could exploit. ThreatNG's assessment capabilities will then analyze these findings to determine the severity of the risk and prioritize remediation efforts.

2. Reporting: ThreatNG provides various reports, including technical and prioritized reports, that can communicate the risk of exposed VoIP services to stakeholders. The reports can also track remediation progress and demonstrate compliance with security standards.

3. Policy Management: ThreatNG's policy management capabilities allow you to define and enforce security policies for VoIP services. You can configure risk thresholds, create alerts for new exposures, and track policy exceptions. This helps ensure that VoIP security is aligned with your organization's overall risk tolerance.

4. Investigation Modules: ThreatNG's investigation modules, such as Domain Intelligence and IP Intelligence, can provide deeper insights into exposed VoIP services. For example, the Domain Intelligence module can identify the technology stack used for the VoIP system, including the specific vendor and version. This information can be used to assess the risk of known vulnerabilities and prioritize patching efforts.

5. Intelligence Repositories: ThreatNG leverages various intelligence repositories, including dark web monitoring and vulnerability databases, to provide context and enrich the findings related to exposed VoIP services. This can help you understand the potential threat actors targeting your VoIP system and the latest attack techniques.

6. Detecting Externally Exposed Instances: ThreatNG excels at identifying externally exposed instances of VoIP services. It can scan for publicly accessible DVRs, exposed webcams, and networked security cameras that may be part of the VoIP infrastructure. By correlating this information with other findings, ThreatNG can provide a comprehensive view of your organization's VoIP security posture.

7. Working with Complementary Solutions: ThreatNG can integrate with other security solutions to enhance VoIP security. For example, ThreatNG can integrate with a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system to provide real-time alerts on suspicious activities related to VoIP services. It can also integrate with a vulnerability scanner to perform more in-depth assessments of VoIP devices and applications.

Examples of ThreatNG working with complementary solutions:

  • ThreatNG + SIEM: ThreatNG identifies an exposed SIP port and sends an alert to the SIEM system. The SIEM system correlates this alert with other security events and triggers an automated response, such as blocking the IP address attempting to access the SIP port.

  • ThreatNG + Vulnerability Scanner: ThreatNG discovers a vulnerable web interface for managing the VoIP system. It then passes this information to the vulnerability scanner, which performs a detailed assessment to identify the specific vulnerabilities and recommend remediation actions.

By combining ThreatNG's capabilities with complementary security solutions, organizations can establish a layered defense approach to protect VoIP services from cyberattacks.