LONDON, June 2 /PRNewswire/ - The security threats that dog the Internet and other data networks threaten to stop the growth of Voice over IP (VoIP)-based telephony in its tracks. Info-Tech Research Group today called on the industry's leading security alliance to implement standardized security certifications to address the growing threat.

The Voice over IP Security Alliance (VOIPSA) membership includes a wide range of hardware and software vendors, security firms, and researchers. It will use many tools, including discussion lists and white papers, to get its message across. It will also sponsor VoIP security research projects and develop free tools and methodologies.

But Info-Tech Research Group believes this is insufficient. "VoIP handsets are simply Internet-capable computers disguised as telephones. They are subject to the same security threats as other web- connected devices. Until the VoIP world gets serious about security, industry growth risks being stunted," says Info-Tech Research Group Senior Research Analyst Carmi Levy. "We recognize and congratulate VOIPSA for educating businesses about the risks involved in VoIP. Now VOIPSA needs to go further by certifying new VoIP phones and systems to be as secure as traditional voice technology. Business confidence is essential to the success of new VoIP services.

"Without universally-defined security standards and certifications, many enterprises will not commit their mission-critical traffic to VoIP," adds Levy. "VOIPSA is in the best position to make this happen, and it needs to step up to the plate."

Info-Tech Research Group strongly believes that companies migrating their voice traffic onto threat-prone web and data networks without first investigating the security implications are asking for trouble.

"Moving voice traffic onto existing data networks opens up telephony to the very real potential of eavesdropping, impersonation, long distance toll fraud, and voicemail squatting," says Levy.

"VOIPSA members come from every corner of the VoIP map and have the expertise required to design and implement certification criteria," adds Levy. "Such a program would boost confidence in today's solutions, and in many cases remove the last obstacle to migration."

About Info-Tech Research Group
With a paid membership of over 25,000 worldwide, Info-Tech Research Group is the global leader in providing information technology research and analysis to the mid-sized enterprise market. It is North America's fastest growing full-service IT analyst firm.