How to Get a Secure Phone Line and Protect Against Landline Hacking

 

Modern smartphones are wireless wonders, offering ease of use and Internet access wherever you happen to be. At the same time, they’re not always the best choices for calling long distance to a relative or answering questions from dozens of customers over the course of a day. For those occasions and others, landline phones are better bets.

Just because landline telephones aren’t necessarily connected to the Internet all the time doesn’t mean they’re unhackable – at least, not without the right security measures. Today, we’ll explore whether landlines can be hacked and how to get a secure phone line for your home or business.

 

Landline vs. VoIP Phones

 

Traditional “landline” phones connect people through the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a dedicated system of telephone cables. With a landline phone, you place or receive calls through a network that converts sound waves into electrical signals, which flow through copper wires to get from place to place.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones, on the other hand, use the Internet to place and receive calls. Essentially, VoIP phones hook into the existing Internet network of your home or business, piggybacking off that infrastructure to transmit information at the speed of light. VoIP phone lines can still call people with traditional phone lines or vice versa, too.

In recent years, VoIP phones and services have become increasingly popular, especially for small businesses. They’re cost-effective and reliable, and you don't have to pay separately for dedicated lines, mobile phones, or other add-ons. On top of that, VoIP phone services come with extra features, like the ability to make video conference calls or send or receive faxes.

 

Can a Landline Be Hacked?

 

Technically, no, landlines can’t be hacked in the same way that a smartphone or desktop computer can be hacked by a digital attacker. Traditional landline networks are effectively closed circuits; the only way to get into the network is to have a device, like a phone, physically linked into that circuit.

However, landlines do have some security threats, including:

• Wiretapping devices – if someone can physically access phone lines, they can use a specialized wiretapping device to listen in on conversations in real time
• Radio scanner access – certain analog cordless phones could be vulnerable to radio scanner surveillance

That said, you’re unlikely to come across these hazards if you or your business maintains a landline. Most wiretapping is done by the government in the pursuit of criminals, not by criminals trying to steal personal or business information.

 

Are VoIP Calls Secure?

 

Due to the fact that VoIP phone services use the Internet, they’re more inherently vulnerable to Internet-based attacks than landlines. For instance, some potential VoIP security threats include:

• Dedicated Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, in which an attacker floods your VoIP system with so many calls or queries that it crashes
• Toll fraud, where callers gain access to your VoIP system, then intentionally dial expensive numbers, such as international numbers, to make you pay pricey fees
• Phishing attacks, where a caller impersonates an authority figure or organization, like an IRS agent, to gain personal or private information
• Call interception, in which an attacker can use an unsecured VoIP network to steal traffic or caller ID information
• Malware attacks, which deploy viruses into your computer network through your VoIP system
• Spam calls, which often target VoIP voicemail boxes

Despite these possible risks, VoIP services remain the go-to choice for businesses that want the convenience, flexibility, and value of dedicated phone services for their staff or customers.

 

Tips for a Secure Phone Line

 

Securing your home landline phone is straightforward – don’t share your number with anyone you don’t trust! Securing a VoIP phone line is a little trickier. Just as you wouldn’t share sensitive information like your credit card details over an unsecured connection, you need to take extra steps to protect your VoIP system. With that in mind, here are some ways you can elevate your VoIP security at home or at your small business.

 

Encrypt VoIP Calls

 

Whenever you place a VoIP call, the audio data of your voice turns into digital bytes that are sent to another phone via the Internet. Encrypting your VoIP calls is a wise idea since it scrambles the digital data and prevents it from being easily deciphered or understood by any potential digital attacker.

You can do this yourself through your wireless router or a VPN service, but many VoIP providers automatically encrypt calls as a standard part of their services. Therefore, finding a good VoIP service provider is an easy way to get and keep a secure phone line.

 

Use Strong Passwords

 

Similarly, you should try to protect your VoIP system and network by using a strong password. The best passwords use a combination of upper- and lower-case letters alongside numbers and symbols.

For the best results, switch out your password every so often, such as every two weeks or every month, and make sure your employees know not to share these passwords with anyone outside the company. That's an especially good way to protect your phone line for your small business.

 

Educate Yourself on VoIP Security Risks

 

VoIP systems are potentially vulnerable to phishing attacks and scams. You should know what these scams look like and how to avoid compromising your home or business security with them.

For instance, phishing VoIP calls may include:

• Someone claiming to be from a government agency
• An individual threatening you or an employee with legal or financial action if they don't do something specific, like making a cryptocurrency payment
• Robocalls that make threats or try to trick you into saying something that can be recorded, like your birthday or “Yes”

If you run a small business and maintain VoIP service for your employees, educate them on these risks regularly – and remember that the same goes for email phishing security, too!

 

Always Monitor VoIP Phone Activity

 

Many VoIP Systems are at their most vulnerable on weekends, holidays, or overnight. These are times when no one is at the office monitoring them. It's up to you to monitor your own VoIP system if your provider doesn't do it for you. Monitoring your VoIP service may allow you to catch strange activity, like attempted attacks or someone using your VoIP phone line without your permission.

 

Install a Router Firewall

 

Since any VoIP system is integrated with the rest of your home or business network, you need to ensure that your local network is protected from intruders or attacks. Router firewalls are excellent tools to that effect, as they can inspect and possibly halt unwanted traffic as it goes through the router.

Luckily, many routers come with built-in firewalls, and the best VoIP services also offer firewall protection alongside other secure phone line features. All you have to do is find the service that’s right for your needs.

 

Get Secure, Reliable Phone Service

 

If you’re looking for secure long-distance phone service for your home or your small business, Shentel can help. Our home and business phone services are fast, consistent, and scalable – and they can be bundled with our other best-in-class services, like Internet and TV. See how we can help you call and connect with our landline phone service plans today!