U.S. Government Issues Report on VoIP Security Holes

ranson writes "PC World is reporting on VoIP technology's threat of being manipulated by hackers, through call interception and DoS attacks on users' internet connections. While these threats are nothing new, the article cites an interesting government report on the topic, as well as its author, who believes a VoIP user's best protection is security by obscurity."

Comments

VOIP calls aren't encrypted?

[Motherfucking Shit]

From the article:

Intercepting Internet traffic is not new. Neither is DoS. But unlike more secure Internet transactions such as your Web connection for online banking, VoIP calls are not encrypted. That makes them susceptible to tapping.

This amazes me, I can't believe that the calls are floating around in raw audio. Would a little encryption add so much overhead that it would bog down the system? Or is this due to CALEA or other laws?

Gun in a field

[deathcloset]

Security through obscurity is one of those strange concepts.

Imagine every person in the world standing in a gigantic field. In the direct center of everyone is a rifle pointed at the sky.

When the rifle fires, the bullet will go up and then come down and hit some poor sap. But if one were standing in that crowd one could virtually count one's self out as being crowned that sap.

Virtually, but not completely.

That's the problem with security by obscurity. Sure it lowers the chances of being hit. But it's not really security at all.

Is it?