VoIP to be big hacker target

It was only a matter of time before the invasion started.

According to Message Labs, a managed Service Provider (MSP) that specializes in internet telephony security, that time has finally come.

Message Labs is predicting that 2007 will be the year that will see VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service becoming a prime target for hackers. The hackers use phishing attacks – spoof phone calls – to get victims’ credit card details. They also use the phishing expeditions and third party software to steal victims’ identities.

Email spam from hackers has plagued the internet almost since conception, but the attacks on VOIP will be a bit different. The spam will not come in the easily detectable text form that most people now receive and the form that most filters can catch. It will be in the form of images, and most existing filters can not detect the minute changes. The new attack forms will make most VOIP services extremely vulnerable.

As the popularity of VOIP continues to increase the customer base also expands, expect the amount and variations of attacks to rise as well. With the lack of filters, image spam will become generally more widespread.

2007 also will show an increase in traditional attacks, with hackers now able to purchase ready made viruses and customize them to their own use. The market for these “customized” viruses will skyrocket as the prices begin to drop.