For organizations that rely on call centers and phone communications with customers, call security has become a business-critical issue. Scammers, hackers, and fraudsters frequently target voice networks to steal money, personal information, or even disrupt services. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, most fraud now happens over the phone instead of through email. While companies have spent a lot of time and money securing email and computer networks, phone systems are often left vulnerable. Attackers use the same advanced techniques on voice systems that they use to hack data networks, making outdated security measures ineffective.

Fortunately, the technology to protect voice networks is evolving as rapidly as the many threats to call security. From call authentication and call filtering software to encryption and denial-of-service protections, organizations may adopt multiple layers of defenses to ensure and enhance call security.

Call Security, Defined

Call security encompasses the tools and practices that keep phone calls safe from threats. For businesses and call centers, call security protects three main areas. It safeguards confidentiality, ensuring sensitive customer or business information can only be accessed by authorized parties. It also ensures authenticity, so businesses and customers know they are communicating with verified individuals rather than fraudsters or hackers. Additionally, it monitors call activity to detect and block serious risks like fraud, identity theft, vishing scams, spoofing, and denial of service attacks designed to interrupt services. Strong call security builds trust with customers, protects sensitive data, and ensures smooth, reliable operations in today’s highly connected world.

Key Threats to Call Security

Threats to call security impact businesses, call centers, and their customers by putting sensitive information and communication systems at risk. Below are the key threats and how they affect call security:

  • Vishing Attacks Vishing, or voice phishing, involves attackers pretending to be trusted entities to trick people into sharing sensitive information over the phone. These scams often target customers or employees, aiming to steal credentials, personal data, or financial details. For businesses and call centers, falling victim to vishing can lead to significant financial losses.

  • Social Engineering Social engineering attacks exploit human psychology to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information. Attackers may pose as customers, vendors, or coworkers to gain access to sensitive systems or data. Call center staff, who are often under pressure to assist quickly, are particularly vulnerable to this tactic if not properly trained.

  • Account Takeover In account takeover attacks, fraudsters gain unauthorized access to customer or employee accounts by stealing login credentials through vishing, phishing, or hacking. Once inside, they can make fraudulent transactions or access sensitive data.

  • Call Fraud Call fraud includes tactics like toll fraud, where attackers make unauthorized long-distance calls at a business's expense. It also includes schemes like call spoofing, which uses fake caller IDs to trick recipients. This can lead to financial damage, disrupted services, and loss of credibility for businesses and call centers.

  • Insider Threats Insider threats occur when employees or contractors misuse their access to systems for personal gain or to harm the organization. This might involve leaking sensitive customer information or intentionally damaging systems.

  • Compliance Violations Many industries have strict regulations for handling customer data, such as HIPAA in healthcare or PCI-DSS in finance. Failing to secure calls and protect sensitive information can result in hefty fines, legal issues, and reputational harm. Compliance violations also undermine customer trust in a business or call center.

  • Data Breaches Data breaches happen when attackers gain access to call recordings, customer details, or other sensitive data stored by businesses and call centers. This can result in stolen identities, financial loss, and damaged customer relationships.

  • TDoS Attacks Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS) attacks flood phone systems with an overwhelming volume of calls, making it impossible for legitimate calls to get through. These attacks can disrupt customer service, delay critical communications, and cause financial loss.

Technologies Involved in Call Security

Various technologies are used to strengthen call security, including advanced tools and software tailored for outbound and inbound call center software.

  • Authentication Systems Authentication systems verify the identity of callers to prevent spoofing, impersonation, or unauthorized access. For example, 911 call authentication ensures that emergency calls are legitimate, blocking fake calls from malicious actors. By adding layers like multi-factor authentication, businesses and call centers can greatly enhance the security of their voice systems.

  • Call Filtering Software Call filtering software identifies and blocks suspicious or unwanted calls before they reach their destination. This reduces the risk of vishing attempts, robocalls, and other fraudulent activities. Advanced systems can analyze call patterns, flag anomalies, and automatically adjust filters to address evolving threats.

  • Intrusion Prevention Systems Intrusion prevention systems provide real-time call monitoring and alerts for suspicious activities. They analyze call traffic and system behavior to detect unauthorized access or unusual patterns. By providing immediate alerts, these systems help call centers and businesses respond quickly to potential security incidents, minimizing damage.

  • TDoS Protection Tools TDoS protection tools monitor and mitigate the effects of attacks that flood systems with fake calls. These tools can identify malicious traffic, block it, and maintain access for legitimate callers. This ensures that essential communication channels remain available during attacks, especially in high-pressure environments like customer support or emergency services.

  • Encryption Encryption secures call data by converting it into a coded format that only authorized parties can access. This ensures that sensitive conversations and data, like personal or financial information, remain confidential even if intercepted. Both real-time call encryption and secure storage of recorded calls are essential for comprehensive call security.

Best Practices for Call Security

To enhance call security, businesses and call centers should adopt proven strategies and multiple layers of protection that address both technology and human behavior.

  • Regularly Update Software Keeping call center software and other systems up to date ensures they are protected against the latest threats. Software updates often include security patches that fix vulnerabilities identified by developers. Neglecting updates can leave systems open to exploits by attackers who target known weaknesses.

  • Educate Staff and Users Providing training for employees and users helps them identify and respond to threats like phishing, vishing, and social engineering. Employees who understand the tactics attackers use are less likely to fall victim to scams. Regular workshops, online training, and easy-to-follow security guidelines can build awareness and improve overall security.

  • Monitor Activity Regularly reviewing call logs, user access, and system activity can uncover unusual patterns that might indicate a security breach. For instance, unexpected spikes in call volume or access attempts from unrecognized locations could signal an attack. Implementing automated monitoring tools can help detect these anomalies and alert teams to take quick action.

  • Implement Strong Authentication and Access Controls Using authentication systems and access controls ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive systems and data. Access controls can limit permissions, ensuring employees only have access to the tools and information necessary for their roles.

  • Leverage Expertise Partnering with security experts and using solutions backed by specialized teams can enhance the effectiveness of your defenses. These experts can provide insights into the latest threats and help develop strategies tailored to your organization’s needs. Working with experienced security teams ensures your call center is protected against even the most sophisticated attacks.

SecureLogix: Solutions for Call Security, Authentication, and Trust

As an industry-leading pioneer in call security, SecureLogix offers patented solutions developed and supported by the most skilled team in the industry. We’re the only vendor with a single set of unified solutions for all the security and call trust issues that threaten the customer experience and enterprise telephony today. This fact, along with the effectiveness of our solutions, has made SecureLogix the call security provider of choice for some of the world’s largest and most complex contact centers and voice networks.

Call Defense™ System: Powerful Firewall and Filtering Capabilities

Residing at the edge of the voice network, the Call Defense™ System bolsters call security by filtering good traffic from bad in real time to reduce or eliminate unwanted calls and mitigate call center threats. With this SecureLogix technology, you can:

  • Prevent threats to call center security with alerting, blocking, and/or redirection.
  • Visualize telephony activity throughout the voice network.
  • Achieve unified policy enforcement.
  • Detect patterns of attacks and identify anomalies with call intrusion prevention (IPS) technology.
  • Gain insights into voice network usage, CDR analytics, and attack forensics with scheduled and ad hoc reports.

Call Secure™ Managed Service: Call Security Administered by a Team of Experts

For additional call security expertise, the Call Secure™ Managed Service combines the leading technology of the Call Defense™ System with the most experienced call security service team in the business. A vendor- and protocol-agnostic solution, Call Secure™ supports all network architectures and a mix of TDM and SIP traffic while enhancing and complementing existing voice systems, including SBCs.

With this fully managed service, you can:

  • Defend your call centers and voice networks against a wide range of threats to call security.
  • Proactively monitor new attacks and malicious calls.
  • Prevent call fraud, spoofing, robocalls, and TDoS attacks.
  • Reduce call spam and unwanted nuisance calls.
  • Increase call visibility across the enterprise.

SecureLogix Orchestra One™: Automated Call Authentication

Orchestra One™ Call Authentication Service provides smart, efficient, and affordable authentication and spoofing detection. Using automated, cloud-based authentication, Orchestra One™ quickly verifies and authenticates every inbound call, dynamically orchestrating multiple zero-cost and low-cost metadata services to authenticate each call at its lowest possible price.

With Orchestra One™, you can:

  • Automate authentication to improve call security and quickly detect potentially suspicious and malicious callers.
  • Reduce call duration by up to 30 seconds through automated call verification.
  • Improve customer satisfaction by eliminating knowledge-based interrogations and allowing agents to respond more quickly to customer needs.

FAQ

Q: How does call security differ from traditional data security?

Call security focuses specifically on protecting voice systems and phone calls, while data security targets broader IT systems. Voice systems often require unique solutions like call authentication and TDoS protection.

Q: What makes call centers especially vulnerable to call security threats?

Call centers handle high volumes of sensitive customer data and interactions, making them prime targets for phishing/vishing, social engineering, and other attacks aimed at stealing information or disrupting operations. Additionally, call center agents are trained to be accommodating and helpful with inbound callers, creating a dynamic that criminals may easily exploit.

Q: What are the key risks businesses face if call security is compromised?

Risks include financial loss from call fraud, data breaches that expose customer information, compliance violations, and reputational damage due to poor customer trust.

Q: How does partnering with a managed call security service improve protection?

Managed services provide access to expert teams and advanced tools, enabling businesses to detect, monitor, and respond to threats more effectively than relying solely on in-house resources.

Q: What is a 911 center TDoS attack?

A 911 center TDoS attack is a type of cyberattack where 911 phone systems are overwhelmed with a flood of calls, making it difficult or impossible for legitimate emergency calls to get through. These attacks can disrupt critical services, endangering lives by delaying emergency response.

Additional Reading