Cisco VoIP phones part of security weakness demo

Security firm HackLabs is expected to demonstrate at AusCERT 2011 how hackers perform VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) attacks and identify weaknesses in Cisco and other manufacturers VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones.

HackLabs director Chris Gatford has not responded to questions about specifically what type of Cisco VoIP phones and systems will be subject to close examination for security weaknesses. The AusCERT 2011 presentation that HackLabs will do at once week is described as "a one-day tutorial" of intensive, hands-on training in which "participants will learn how hackers perform VoIP Attacks and how to remediate common vulnerabilities. Attendees will learn how hackers can methodically gain entry access to an organization's telephony systems to steal information and abuse services."

The conference session description says the HackLabs attacks will focus on Cisco phones, Cisco Call Manager and Microsoft Office Communicator.

The Cisco spokesman adds, "It's important to note that the presenters' public comments reference the importance of securing IP phones in line with the manufacturer's installation and configuration recommendations, and we support this message and recommend it as best practice for our clients."

Demonstrations by security firms on how to attack VoIP phones in order to gain unauthorized use or attack the VoIP network and endpoints is nothing new. Many Black Hat Conference demonstrations in the past have focused on this as a topic.

At AusCERT 2011 then and there week, HackLabs, which specializes in penetration testing, could stick to discussing "implementation mistakes" or might disclose new information about vulnerabilities that would require remediation of VoIP equipment in some way.

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5 unanswered questions about Chromebooks

May 13, 2011, 6:00 PM — Google is attempting to reinvent mobile computing with its Chromebook, but in spite of all of the features and analysis available to us, there are nevertheless some important questions but to be answered. We won't know about some important aspects of the Chrome OS laptops until we get our hands on one, and other questions are largely about the viability and reliability of laptops that are in every respect web-based. Here are five of the top unanswered questions.

Chromebooks can connect external devices just as cameras and headsets, nevertheless iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users are required by Apple to use iTunes--desktop software that can't be installed on a Chromebook. Will there be some sort of workaround for Apple users to connect their devices to a Chromebook? Otherwise, that pretty much rules out getting a Chromebook as your sole computer if you as well have an iDevice.

With such a massive endeavor, Google better have a plan. Remember the data glitch that caused emails to be deleted for thousands of Gmail users previously this year? Or, more recently, Amazon's cloud web services crash? We know that Google Apps will have offline capabilities, nevertheless users need better reliability assurances earlier adopting a computer designed for constant Internet connectivity.

Remote management tools are a must for IT admins, nevertheless it's after all unclear specifically what capabilities Google's Chromebook enterprise tools will have. Remote desktop control? Laptop tracking and reset? Group policy settings? Google's $28 per user subscription plan for businessescan be an affordable way for small businesses to provide laptops to its users, yet to actually satisfy enterprise users, Google needs to woo its IT decision makers.

The top complaints about Google's Nexus One smartphone were 3G connectivity flakiness and, as my colleague David Coursey put it, a "sort of benign neglect" of the Android ecosystem. Business users, Google announced, will get technical support, however what about everyone else? Who will Chromebooks users turn to for support with their Chrome OS laptops? And, importantly, what will the quality of that support be?

Tablet computers, including convertibles, have come of age. Now IT must devise a workable balance by ensuring security of mobile data without squashing worker productivity. This Mobility KnowledgeVault will walk you through four key factors to build a workable plan and highlights real-world examples of businesses that are succeeding at fulfilling the productivity promise of mobility.

From data encryption to secure printing, there are many challenges IT mangers at small and midsize businesses face to secure mobile devices. Check out the resources in this Mobility KnowledgeVault to help develop a master plan and read:Techniques to secure data on mobile devices5 things CIOs need to know about mobile printingThe definitive mobile security checklist

There are six major mobile operating systems in use now and each one offers its own set of security and management challenges. The resources in this Mobility KnowledgeVault will help you keep these devices secure on the corporate network with expert tips on management tools, endpoint security software, increasing application support and more.

A recent IDG survey of businesses with 100-500 employees reveals data security is the top barrier to supporting employees' mobile devices. . This KnowledgeVault highlights survey results and explores how IT leaders are dealing with issues from encrypting mobile data without impacting performance and remotely disabling devices, to dealing with the Apple App Store for iPad and iPhone apps.

ITworld Answers is a service that helps IT pros resolve innovation questions. Post a question, and let your peers in the ITworld community take a crack at solving it!

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Did Microsoft pay too much?

Microsoft's announcement of its plan to acquire Skype for $8.5 billion has been greeted with more than the software giant's fair share of derision. Not that the software company has been lacking in haters previously, nevertheless its decision to plunk down such a huge bundle for a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) company, one that barely makes a profit, has been usually described as bordering idiotic.

Some observers claim that Microsoft's desire to spite Google and Apple has clouded its judgment. And, permanently, the company was willing to pay a lot of money in order to claim victory over its biggest rivals.

Heard somewhere that Pyramid Innovation, for instance, believes that the Windows Phone platform will grab market leadership within the at once two years.

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Telstra opens up second release NBN sites

The second release sites comprise an additional 19 locations - 14 new locations, and five locations next to the existing NBN first release rollout zones - where the fibre network will be rolled out straightway around the nation, ranging from Brisbane to Casuarina in the Northern Territory and the broadband-starved suburb of Gungahlin in the ACT.

Government incentives and pent-up demand following the global financial crisis helped the Australian video conferencing market to increase earnings by 33 per cent in 2010.

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