Protection against data breaches should be on every business owner's to-do list. In fact, we recently wrote a blog detailing how you can protect your hotel's VoIP phone system from the intrusion of hackers. If you’d like to read this eye-opening article - and you definitely should - you can click right here and take a look.
Of course, even when you conduct proper due diligence and follow strict guidelines that are set up to protect the data of your hotel, its employees, and its guests, the harsh reality is that, data breaches can still happen from time to time. But, do you know how to tell if your VoIP phone system has experienced a breach? Let's take a look at a few simple indicators.
VoIP Call History Contains Irregularities
The first sign that your hotel VoIP system has been infiltrated is often a rash of irregularities in the call history. This is a big reason why monitoring your call logs on a daily basis is so essential. These irregularities typically involve fraudulent calls where outside parties have hacked into your system for the purpose of conducting international communications without the need to pay for it themselves. The best advice is to set up a schedule to check your phone system’s call history and make sure you stick with it.
Unexpected Increase in Your Telephone Bill
Intrusion into your phone system will often send your phone bill skyrocketing or, at the very least, you’ll notice a definite uptick in expenses over a short period of time. This is typically because of what we described above, where an outside party has infiltrated your VoIP phone system with the intent of communicating with international entities. These types of communications can be quite expensive, so if you can’t explain the increase in your hotel’s monthly phone bill, this is something to consider.
Internet Searches Are Redirected to Unwanted Sites
Hackers often poke around in every facet of any network that they’re able to break into. Browsers are a common target because there are so many options available to them in regards to causing havoc with users of the network. Very often, when a hacker has infiltrated a network, you will find that any internet searches you do will be redirected to unwanted sites. While some of this is nothing more than chaos for the sake of chaos, a common part of this is an attempt to withdraw private information from the user or to entice the user to initiate the download of a virus or malware into his or her system.
Microphones and Cameras Switch On Automatically
The creepiest thing that a hacker can do is access your microphones and cameras as a way to spy on your hotel. Just the thought of people remotely watching and listening to you is enough to send shivers down your spine, right? Keep in mind that while switching off the indicator light on a microphone or camera is often difficult, it’s not impossible. If you see the indicator light or notice that your system says that a microphone or camera is on even though you haven’t been using them, then you might have a hacker problem.
Fake Antivirus Messages Keep Popping Up
In this type of situation, you’ll visit a routine website that you’ve been to a million times, but this time you’ll get a pop-up that says your computer has a virus, and you’ll be provided with a link that is supposedly where you need to go to fix the problem. In truth, however, these are simply tactics that are being used in an attempt to install malicious programs onto your computer or even within your phone system.
Installation of a hotel VoIP phone system is a great way to keep your guests and employees happy and protected, but like with all systems, protection is important. If you need assistance with upgrading your phone system or with the management of an existing VoIP setup, give the experts at Phonesuite a call today.
