Securing your Business with IP Communications

It’s a wonder IT directors ever get any sleep. The possibility of malicious attacks to a business’s network and communications system, they’ll tell you, is a constant threat. And if a security breach ever does occur, losing confidential data and the faith of customers can become their worst nightmare.
The security news for businesses utilizing Internet Protocol (IP) communications and voice over IP (VoIP), however, is good. Newer standards are constantly being deployed for IP technologies to make security more concrete, and as a whole, it’s safe to say the IP security mechanisms now available are some of the most stringent ever.

Security at the levels a business needs
For organizations in which networked interactions and information need to stay private — financial institutions, healthcare providers, insurance companies, government agencies, retail organizations, contact centers, et al — it’s critical to plan and implement the highest levels of security available to protect voice and data communications. A few examples: Regulatory guidelines for credit card processing require unified layers of data encryption and user authentication to protect customer privacy, as do healthcare industry guidelines to safeguard patient confidentiality ● Remote workers necessitate a security plan for home office Internet connections and “personal” firewalls in conjunction with corporate security policies ● Internally, encrypting voice payloads both at the station level and site level can prevent employees from “sniffing” a network to eavesdrop on VoIP calls from their PC or workstation. For the same reason, it’s important to encrypt calls to interactive voice response (IVR) applications and automatic call distributors (ACDs) where confidential information is routinely exchanged. It’s unfortunate, but security attacks are a reality of business, and any organization that handles customer‐related confidential information on an IP‐based data network must make securing calls and information a priority. Thankfully for your business and the customers it serves, an IP communications platform lets you soundly align the security mechanisms of IP technologies with organizational processes and the human factor to build a stronger wall of protection.
Trust us.