Re: VoIP security

[Mihai Amarandei <mihaixmco1 () yahoo fr>]

I've been doing some research on VoIP Security. The encryption is 
optional in VoIP, so your ISP should be able to tell you if they encrypt 
VoIP conversations, and especially where. Tipically I think the 
encryption is at the router level (so not directly in the telephone), 
but it might be that your ISP is encrypting directly at their servers. 
The IPSec(VPN) solution is not very used in my knowledge because it adds 
much overhead to this time critical service.
The protocols specific to VoIP define several ways of encrypting 
information and preserving confidentiality so technically your friend 
might be safe. You shoud however ask your ISP about their encryption 
(I'm quite interested myslef in the policiy of ISPs regarding VoIP).
And btw, please excusee my poor english
Mihai

Joshua Berry wrote:

> There are programs out there capable of replaying VoIP sessions:
>
> Vomit:
> http://vomit.xtdnet.nl/
> The vomit utility converts a Cisco IP phone conversation into a wave
> file that can be played with ordinary sound players. Vomit requires a
> tcpdump output file. Vomit is not a VoIP sniffer also it could be but
> the naming is probably related to H.323.
>
> I haven't found any others but it is definitely possible.  VoIP travels
> over IP and therefore can be encrypted through IPSec tunnels or other
> means but I doubt most ISP's are doing that right now.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Seth Art [mailto:sethart () gmail com] 
> Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 8:52 AM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: VoIP security
>
> My coworker had an interesting question.  She had to validate her
> credit card number over the phone using her social and other sensitive
> information.  She has a VoIP router from her ISP.  The question: Are
> the VoIP packets encrypted as they go across the wire?   Or can
> someone sniffing in the right place capture all of that sensitive VoIP
> traffic and reassemble her CC# and SS# from the tones? Is this
> somethign that might be an issue in the future or is there already an
> answer out there?
>
> -Seth
>
>