Is Your Conference Call Service Secure?
2017-10-26
Global concerns with cyber security, such as the Wannacry ransomware outbreak this year, have begun to draw increasing attention towards the threats that digital workforces are facing around the world. Although attacks on bigger companies might be the ones that are making the headlines, it's worth noting that organizations of any shape or size could be vulnerable to cyber breaches - particularly when lax security habits are in place.
One report from the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center suggests that financial loss caused by cybercrime in the United States alone measures in at around $1.3 billion - a rise of 24% from 2015. Part of the reason for this could be linked to the fact that more professionals are spending time working remotely, using unsecure conference call services and collaborative technology to connect to the office. Around 43% of Americans are now working online at least some of the time.
With such a significant amount of the world's business taking place online, it seems inevitable that cybercrime would be on the rise. However, it is possible for businesses to take proactive measures against hackers, limiting their risk of potential threats.
Security in the Age of the Conference Call
Most business people use conference calls as a way of communicating with professionals on an almost daily basis. In fact, in the US, Wainhouse Research indicates that we're spending 55 billion minutes each year on conference calls and time spent in audio conferences is expected to grow almost 10 percent a year through 2017. During these moments of communication, we're revealing sensitive, confidential information to each other, even though more than 40% of people don't always know exactly who's on the line.
Unless you know exactly what's going on in your conference environment, you could be opening your private conversations up to eavesdropping from uninvited guests. In fact, this happened in 2012, when the FBI had hackers listening in on a call with Scotland Yard.
Despite the clearly sensitive nature of conference call environments, many businesses continue to place security for their communication tech on the backburner, considering it an "afterthought", rather than a priority. Indeed, today, the standard conference call experience runs on a reservation-free model, which allows access to users around the clock, through a conference bridge.
Call leaders simply send out invitations to intended guests, and hope that the right person will join the call at the appropriate time. However, anyone with access to the right details can simply slip into a conference,without being noticed. Without the right conference call service, no-one really knows what's going on, and you can't truly determine whether someone is listening, who shouldn't be.
Choosing a Secure Conference Call Service
In a world where privacy and security is more important than ever, it's crucial to make sure that you have access to a conference call service that's secure, transparent, and effective. By selecting the right services, you can ensure that you're not only compliant with local and national regulations, but that you're also protecting your business from the dangers of eavesdropping third-parties.
A secure conference call solution like QCONF, can give businesses the opportunity to access complete visibility in their call experiences. That means that you get more control over who gets to listen in on your business conversations, and more insight into the level of privacy that your organisation might have at any given moment.
So, how can you ensure that a conference call service has the features you need for absolute security? All you need to do is look for the following signs:
1. Complete Visibility
A secure, private conference call begins with absolute visibility. Visibility is the element that stops a standard conference call from being simply a black-box experience, where anyone could potentially join and listen to a conversation without the need for codes, passwords, or anything else. Visibility allows you to keep your meetings confidential, without restricting your ability to communicate with remote workers and telecommuters.
Any valuable conference call service should be able to show you exactly who is present in your meeting room at any given moment, so you can have the control to remove unwanted participants, mute hecklers, and take security measures when necessary.
2. Call Encryption
A strong conference call service should be able to deliver data encryption on every call. That simply means that if someone was able to hack into your call without an invite, they wouldn't be able to translate any of the messages that you're sharing with your community.
SSL Encryption offers an additional layer of security to company conference calls, even when you already have the peace of mind of knowing that you can activate or disable chats at your leisure, initiate call recording when you need to, and change the participants of your call at any moment. You could even choose a system that delivers unpredictable "long access codes", to help improve the security of your meetings.
With long access codes that include a collection of randomized digits, it's harder for potential hackers or spies to find their way into your conferences by "guessing" the right code. Only the people who already know your codes will be able to connect with you.
3. Messages for your Eyes Only
Conference call security is all about having control over your communication network. From the ability to add or delete participants when you see fit, to the chance to ensure that the call only runs for as long as you're online, there are countless features you can put in place to improve the safety of your business meetings.
Using a conference call service means that you take your meeting outside of your organization's phone system, which can better enhance your chances of making sure that no-one is listening in to what you have to say.
Secure Your Conference Call Today
Regardless of how "informal" you consider your business calls to be, it's important to remember that all the information revealed within an enterprise conference call is private, and sensitive. In the wrong hands, any data could quickly lead to problems for a company, ranging all the way from a damaged reputation, to critical losses.
With the right conference call service, you can access a reliable, intuitive solution for protecting your communications from the threat of hackers and cyber criminals. Visit QCONF today, to find out more about how you can set up your own international audio conferencing service , and enjoy complete peace of mind in the age of the remote worker.
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Conference Call
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Conference Call security