VOIP hacker nets easy pickings

Common attacks worked for a duo that stole $1 million worth of voice minutes, reports Arnnet.

A combination of simple dictionary and brute-force attacks, in combination with Google hacking, enabled a criminal pair to break into VOIP-provider networks and steal the minutes, says one of the duo who has pleaded guilty to his crimes.

Had his victims observed security basics, most of the attacks would have been unsuccessful, says Robert Moore, the 23-year-old hacker from Spokane, Washington, who has been sentenced to two years in federal prison and fined $150 000.

Small businesses across the UK can now take advantage of the benefits of voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and still maintain their local identity, with the launch of Geographic Numbers from BT Business, says Net4now.

The new service, launched in response to customer feedback, allows companies to use a local phone number with BT Business Broadband Voice.

Businesses can benefit from the free additional VOIP line that comes as standard with BT Business Total Broadband packages, and offers capped-price calls to mobile and international destinations, but now give their customers a familiar local number to call.

Chris Lyman, chief executive and founder of Fonality, has unveiled "free" VOIP phone services for small and medium-sized businesses, says Gigaom.

Lyman's start-up is going to start offering the basic edition of its PBX software, trixbox Pro, for free, and will allow free calling between those who are on trixnet, a network that connects all trixbox users.

"It is a free IP calling service that uses your regular phone number," says Lyman.