Fraud calls to Cuba And VoIP Attacks.

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
I was browsing through Gossamer-threads mailing list on Cisco when I came across a post regarding "Fraud calls to Cuba - Please read" by a member. The thread went on to explain how the attackers were using port scans to find open H323 TCP/1720 and SIP UDP/5060 ports and to make calls out from pots lines. The thread showed that this is not a random happening but prevalent in the Cisco MCE router world as these ports are open by default. All the cases did not have ACLs in place and once implemented they were able to prevent these costly attacks. So people with routers attached to PSTN via PRI or even a FXO line, check your routers.
So if you have an Internet facing router, why not just check for open ports. On Cisco routers you can use show ip sockets on older IOS and on newer IOS show control-plane host open-ports
On other routers use appropriate commands to check for open ports and close them. If you need to keep them open, use ACLs.
How about your Asterisk server? It is also essentially a router with usually a PSTN or SIP or trunk service gateway. The attackers could easily get in an out through the server if necessary precautions were not taken.
Think of an Asterisk server with “outbound” context to the SIP provider accessible by the inbound context.
It is possible for incoming calls that do not find matching numbers internally, to get routed out to the SIP provider via Outbound context. Here is an open gateway for hackers.. And there goes your money that you are trying to save with VoIP.

Basic Steps to Protect your VoIP routers or Servers.

• Firewall or session border controller, Always between you and the internet.
  
• Use ACLs to limit your access to your VoIP servers.
• Block inbound contexts in Asterisk accessing the outbound.
• Update the IOS and Server software regularly.
• Keep an eye open for security vulnerabilities from your vendor.
  
• Utilize VPN tunnels when ever is possible to protect the VoIP traffic going over the Internet
• SIP TLS and SRTP will save your day.
  
• Shutdown all services on not in use on your servers and routers.

Tags: VoIP Security, Asterisk, pstn, SIP, FXO, VoIP Attacks, VoIP server, VoIP routers, CISCO, Cisco ACL

VoIP Backups Or Backup For VoIP

I read about backup for VoIP on a leading Magazine today. One of the backups it suggest is that to keep the good old copper wires, PSTN, and that is what I am doing, at office, home office and home.
They also suggested and I also have UPS backups fro my routers, DSL routers and VoIP switches.
Our Asterisk Servers are protected and our VoIP Phones, a mixture of Cisco, Linksys, Astra, Avaya and Grandstream phones also protected by UPS, over POE.
I even have a Solar Power system at Home and home office. System runs well with most of the time sending excess power to the grid.
But with all these systems, I have lost VoIP service, in two incidents when we lost power in the area, we lost our phone service. But our office and home was well lit.
Why? because the central switch (Belong to service provider) that our DSL service came from also lost power. So only service we had was good old POTS service, and our cell phones, iPhones.
I do not have cable service but I am not sure if they also connect to central switches. And if they do, it will be the same picture, your area loose power, you get no VoIP.
So make sure that you have at least one pots line with a old type phone and well charged cell phone.

tag: VoIP Backup, iPhone, PSTN, POTS, , VoIP technology, VoIP Solutions, Cisco, Linksys, Astra, Avaya, VoIP Phones,

Mediatrix 4100 Series VoIP gatewys!

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com Via PRWEB
Mediatrix Telecom, the leader in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) access devices and gateways, announced today the release of the Mediatrix 4100 Series family of VoIP Access Devices. With the capability to connect 4, 8, 16, or 24 analog phones and/or faxes to a broadband modem or LAN and based on a single platform, the Mediatrix 4100 Series enables cost-effective VoIP deployments in medium-size branch offices and multi-tenant applications, with varying demands for port uses. The Mediatrix 4100 Series is the result of 10 years of Mediatrix experience in the VoIP access device market and is the sound and logical evolution of the well-known and deployed Mediatrix 1104 and 1124 product lines. This latest generation of product is another positive step forward in ensuring best-in-class total cost of ownership combined with the Mediatrix recognized quality and reliability levels, which is essential to the enterprise and carrier markets.
Port densities and models of 4100 series;
4104: 4 FXS ports, 1 PSTN Bypass
4108: 8 FXS ports, 1 PSTN Bypass
4116: 16 FXS ports, 1 PSTN Bypass
4124: 24 FXS ports, 1 PSTN Bypass

Tags: mediatrix, VoIP Hardware, voip gateway, pstn