COMMUNICATIONS ARTICLES ? Security online

In an age when organisations like Wikileaks and Anonymous function on the internet, the biggest concern with taking to online services for companies is being hacked. Sensitive information, including but not restricted to trade secrets are often jeopardized and organisations usually go to great lengths to ensure that emails and other internet services are encrypted and protected by a firewall. The New York Times recently published an article about the lack of safety measures taken by companies that are vulnerable to losses through information leaks. The article explains how companies often set up their videoconferencing so it works outside the firewall to bypass complicated network configurations. Rapid7, a Boston based company that looks for security holes in equipment apparently dialled into several companies? unguarded, empty meeting rooms. The article, however, simplifies the issue too much. It?s not that easy to just hack and overhear sensitive information being discussed via videoconferencing traffic online. Here are a few reasons why: Firstly, as an industry standard, all video conferencing signals are Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encrypted. A potential hacker would have to hack the encryption to access the audio or video of the call.

A lot of the work that start-ups face that eat into hours that can be spent doing productive work is repetitive and yet, unfortunately, manual.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the odds of someone hacking into or calling via video conferencing to spy on a confidential meeting completely unnoticed are very low. Most video conferencing equipment usually ring loudly when called, even if they are set to auto answer, thus alerting everyone in the room to the call. It would be pretty impossible for someone to quietly eavesdrop. Despite the obvious flaws in the arguments raised by the article, for the security conscious, here are a few ways to safeguard themselves.

Firewalls Like any other IP device, videoconferencing can and should be set up inside a firewall. It does make things a little complicated, but is still usable. Smaller systems may choose to work outside a firewall, but that does leave it open to random calls.

Auto Answer Most videoconferencing equipment is set to auto answer as a default. While some may choose to turn it off, an alternative may be to leave auto answer on while muting the mic so that someone calling in will not interrupt or overhear an on-going conversation.

Furthermore, virtual assistants give the impression of a professionally run business. Using a virtual assistant offers a front office without the extra expenses of actual office space. It?s just the sort of credibility that could prove the quality and professionalism of your product and your company.

After the launch of your product Having to offer customer support after the launch of a product is what makes sole entrepreneurships and start-up companies so difficult to manage. It becomes necessary to have processes for sales, marketing, after-sales support and other administrative support.

Hiring a virtual assistant to look after these tasks frees up hundreds of hours that can go into expanding your business. The cost of a virtual personal assistant in comparison to the kind of money you could be making doing business is practically negligible.

Michael Fielding writes articles on behalf of Yo Conference who provide Conference Calling and Free Conference Calls. To hundreds of countries across the world.

Source: http://communicationsarticles.info/2012/03/security-online/

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