Genuine threat to VoIP technology

The bad guys are back on the prowl, and this time they have their eyes squarely on the prize of VOIP. Some experts in internet security are predicting that 2007 will bring a surge of Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) hacking attacks.

The new telephony technology still has quite a few bugs to work out. It also has a high number of vulnerabilities for the cyber criminals to exploit. The applications and launch attacks seem particularly primed for the taking of VOIP>

All it will take to crash and application infect the computer and give the attacker control over the PC.

The more common VOIP becomes then the more common the attacks will become as well. Earlier forms of attacks will continue to be used, such as spam and malware. It is also likely that the malicious hackers will come up with new and inventive ways to attack VOIP.

MessageLabs has just this week release its annual intelligence report. In it, MessageLabs predict that IM (Instant Messenger) attacks will continue to become more aggressive. Social networking sites (especially the more popular ones like MySpace and Facebook) will also be more attractive for hackers looking to make their mark. Users are also making it easier for the bad guys by continuing to post a large amount of personal information for anyone with access to the internet to see.

In 2006, attacks elevated spam from a nuisance attack to a genuine threat.