Vigilar’s VoIP Security Assessment: VoIP Hopping

In many VoIP networks, a vulnerability in the configuration exists that can enable malicious users to gain unauthorized access to a VoIP network. This vulnerability makes it possible to remotely gain administrator access to from locations where IP phones are located and believed to be secure.

VoIP Hopping Explained
Vigilar refers to the security validation test of VLAN hopping onto a Voice VLAN as “VoIP Hopping.” VoIP Hopping refers to testing the protection controls of a Layer 2 network to see if a regular PC can mimic the behavior of an IP phone and thereby gain access to the IP Phone network.

Potential Attacks
When IP Phones are located at physical locations outside of close physical proximity to the corporate network, the threat of attacks based on VoIP Hopping greatly increases. Remote locations with VoIP phones (such as hotel rooms and lobbies) could allow an attacker easy access to the VoIP network. A malicious user may be able to eavesdrop on unencrypted calls or cause an interruption of service. A more significant threat is malicious users gaining access to corporate networks through the VoIP network and, potentially accessing confidential data such as intellectual property, customer information or financial records.

VoIP Hopper
To discover whether a network may be vulnerable to potential VoIP attacks an automated assessment tool called the VoIP Hopper.

Released as open source, the VoIP Hopper tool helps IT administrators test their networks to determine if VoIP Hopping possible on their network. The VoIP Hopper enables administrators to quickly and easily test the protection controls of a Layer 2 network to see if a regular PC can mimic the behavior of an IP phone and thereby gain access to the IP Phone network.

VoIP Security Assessment
Vigilar Professional Services offers a VoIP Security Assessment service to test the security of your VoIP network and make recommendations to improve its security posture.