By Ferenc Veres

Boca Raton, FL- January 30, 2007 (www.VoipSolutions360.com) – VOIP.com - Throughout the latter part of 2006, internet security watchdogs have become increasingly concerned over the huge security risk faced by the rapidly growing and largely unprepared residential voip population.

Indeed, in the early days of 2007, MessageLabs Intelligence reported an increase in phishing incidence that is not only significant, but puts the threat of phishing attacks ahead of viruses. MessageLabs is one of the leading providers of integrated messaging and web security services and respected source of information regarding trends in global web security issues.

Residential voip consumers lack the benefit of an enterprise-level IT security department, and make fatal assumptions about the out-of-the box security of their home networks, the first of which is that their networks are secure by default. Even though your computer might have its firewall turned on, that doesn’t mean your network is safe. For that you need to turn on Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or some version of WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). It’s also a good idea to change the factory issued network authentication keys, and your equipment’s default passwords and login settings.

It also pays to be wary of emails and phone calls left by automatic systems that appear to come from a company you do business with but don’t contain personalized information, like your name or account number. For instance, you should be suspicious of a generic message from your credit union warning members of a security breach and asking them to verify account and login information. When in doubt, always contact the company using a known valid phone number, like that found on the back of your credit card.

For more security tips, visit voip.com’s online help resource at VOIP.com

Voip.com is a popular provider of voip Internet phone service, providing nationwide service to both residential and business customers. Noted for a generous feature package, voip.com offers its members the flexibility of powerful calling features at low prices, with call quality that rivals that of traditional landlines. To find out more about voip.com’s generous Unlimited calling plans, stop by our website at VOIP.com.

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