Skype not a 'quick-fix' VoIP solution for business
The significant increase in the use of VoIP, particularly for organisations and businesses with regional or international networks, reflects the undoubted business benefits it brings. However, companies that succumb to the temptation for the seemingly 'quick-fix', lower set-up costs and reduced international phone bills of consumer solutions such as Skype, may achieve short-term gain but undoubtedly long-term pain, warns market leading IT security testing company, NTA Monitor.
"Consumer solutions are often based on 'closed software', making it hard to understand the code on which the product is based or exactly what is going on behind the scenes. As a result, security is an unknown quantity because the security community cannot assess it as readily," says Roy Hills, technical director of NTA Monitor.
"In the current economic climate, individuals and businesses alike are doing what they can to make savings, but we are increasingly concerned about the number of companies taking a short-term view that proves more costly long-term. Once implemented, Skype cannot subsequently be integrated into a corporate network infrastructure, so it has to be replaced by a commercial grade solution sooner or later. This is costly in terms of expense, time and potential disruption," continues Hills.
NTA Monitor also highlights the issue that 'local' solutions such as Skype are often not governed by corporate security policy and tend to grow organically without any standard build having been agreed.
"Organisations should be aware that because of the 'plug and play' nature of such solutions, the devices may be plugged straight onto the LAN, meaning that external traffic may come straight into the organisation," concludes Hills. NTA Monitor is urging businesses to consider their needs strategically and avoid opting for short-term solutions that could store up problems and expense for the future.
This article was first released on: 2nd February 2009