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Desktop Phone Hacks Happen… Here’s How to Protect Your Business

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Many offices have IP phones, but unknown to most users is that hackers can actually listen to everything that’s going on in the room – whether or not you are on a phone call.

Hackers from a remote location have been able to exploit some IP phones’ vulnerable software and firmware to gain access – even phones sitting behind a firewall.

Here’s some of the mischief hackers can do when they ‘tap’ your IP phone:

  • Listen in on your phone conversations and identify who you’re calling.
  • With access to the phone’s microphone, hackers can feed the conversation into a speech-to-text engine and post the transcript to social media.
  • Since the microphone never shuts off, hackers can listen to everything the phone hears, such as conversations in a company’s board room.

IP phones are basically computers and manufacturers periodically issue software and firmware updates to plug security holes. The trouble is that smaller businesses – and many larger ones – are still lax about keeping their systems updated with the latest patches.

The most effective way to stop hackers from taking control of your IP phones – or any other computer – is to keep the software and firmware current with the latest patches from your phone manufacturer.

Ignoring these patches – or waiting too long to implement them – could leave your business exposed to hackers bent on doing it serious harm.

Concerned about possible IP phone vulnerabilities at your location? Reach out to TCI today… We have communication solutions that can protect your business. Contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

As Cyber Attacks Speed Up, Innovative Managed Firewall Solutions Keep Pace

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In the mid-year update of its 2018 Cyber Threat Report issued in July, SonicWall raised the alarm on the continuing surge of malware and ransomware, as well as encrypted threats and chip-based attacks.

Among the key takeaways from the report…

  • More than 5.99 billion total malware attacks detected, up 102% in the first six months of 2018.
  • Ransomware is back in big way, with 181.5 million attacks since January, a 229% year-to-date increase.
  • Encrypted attacks that hide weaponized code are up 275% over last year.

Download the full report

Criminals are not the only ones making big gains, however. The report noted that innovative and emerging firewall technologies are adapting to the changing threat landscape by delivering actionable threat intelligence, security efficacy, and automated real-time breach detection and prevention.

For example, the company’s Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI) firewall technology now stops Meltdown and Spectre chip-based attacks, as well as attacks leveraging PDFs and Microsoft Office documents.

With TCI Secure, our multi-layered security service, you can rest easy knowing all your systems are protected by a broad array of Next Generation Firewall and Management Solutions from SonicWall, End Point Security from Cylance, as well as Patch Management, Wireless Security and Backup/Recovery from security industry leaders.

TCI Secure is subscription-based, offering a flexible, Security as a Service approach to fit your changing requirements. And when coupled with our exclusive Net360 Network Assessment, Comprehensive Onboarding Process and Cloud Based Managed Services, you’ll experience the TCI Advantage!

Don’t wait for a cyber attack to cripple your business… TCI has security solutions that are right for your organization. Contact TCI today: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.