A Unified Communications solution is a must-have for any modern business. Today’s companies need all of their communication services to be aligned in the same, easily manageable environment. This also means transitioning the communication landscape into the cloud, where flexibility and scalability are key.
However, as the UC stack evolves, and more channels for connectivity open up, companies need to ensure they’re not just accessing the most reliable services – but the most secure solutions too. Security in unified communications is a constantly evolving concept. Building the safest environment means considering everything from end-to-end encryption to data sovereignty, real-time analytics, and even fraud protection.
Let’s explore the role security plays in any UC environment.
Security Considerations for UC Investments
Secure communications are a must-have for any organisation. Business leaders need to ensure conversations between employees, shareholders, clients, and team leaders remain protected. This doesn’t just mean encrypting phone calls anymore but addressing the growing security concerns of things like instant chat applications, video conferencing, SMS, and more.
A Unified Communication environment can simplify the question of security in some ways. Aligning all of your communication channels in the same environment makes it easier to track signs of potential problems. UCaaS solutions also offer business levels more control when deciding who should be able to access certain features and functionality.
However, it’s still up to the business leaders to make sure they’re considering all of their security needs carefully. In today’s communication landscape, this means looking at some of the following concepts:
Data Management
Data management is a huge part of the security consideration for today’s organisations. The modern UC environment collects data from a host of environments, including video streams, SMS messages, online chat, and audio conversations. Businesses need a way to securely manage that data, and even store it for compliance purposes.
A strong UC security strategy therefore starts with making sure your UCaaS provider has data centres located in the environments where you need them most. UC data centres need to be aligned to a company’s data sovereignty requirements, as well as giving companies the freedom to manage their own data for things like GDPR requirements.
Data Encryption and Firewall Protection
Encryption is on the other side of the data management consideration. Companies need to be able to protect data if it ever is accessed by the wrong party. Most UC providers use end-to-end encryption, Transport Layer Security, and SRTP solutions for VoIP conversations. However, UC buyers will also need to ensure that other forms of data are protected too.
Video conferencing and screensharing information needs to be protected, particularly when corporate files and information are moving through the cloud. Firewalls and SBC controls need to be implemented to reduce the risk of people getting through to your content or technology in the first place. The best UC providers are investing more time and effort into ensuring that every form of data stream is thoroughly protected in a UCaaS landscape.
Remote Worker Protection and Network Security
As the world turns towards remote and hybrid work, companies also need to ensure their UCaaS solution is protected for remote worker use. VPN technology is becoming a common part of the UCaaS stack today, allowing employees to log into secured environments from anywhere in the world. This form of network access security will become increasingly essential as businesses continue to tackle the problem of employees using unsecured Wi-Fi.
Network security can be further enhanced by Session Border Control in the UCaaS environment. This ensures the protection of VoIP networks and other essential communication endpoints. Elsewhere, solutions for multi-tenancy solutions in public cloud platforms prevent the spill-over of information with hypervisor technology.
User Access Permissions and Controls
Many of the biggest threats to UCaaS security come from within the business environment. Companies need to control who should have access to different systems and tools on a granular level. UCaaS providers therefore need to offer their customers a way to provision specific tools and services to certain members of staff easily, and through the cloud.
A high level of control when it comes to user access permissions makes it quick and easy for business leaders to dictate what kind of functionality is available to each member of staff. A cloud-based system for permission control also means that even when a remote worker leaves the team, the admins can remove their account and access immediately.
Monitoring Calls and Fraud
Phishing and scam calls are common problems for businesses of all sizes. UC environments can also be susceptible for scam and phishing calls when the right technology isn’t in place. Because of this, many UCaaS and UC solutions come with access to tools which make it easier to track and monitor call volume in the business environment.
The evolution of intelligent technology has even prompted the introduction of automated services which can instantly detect evidence of a potentially fraudulent call and alert the correct authorities when necessary. Tools like biometric systems which recognise user voices like individual fingerprints can further minimise fraudulent activity.
Evolving Technology
As Unified Communications has transformed over the years, with the arrival of new channels for communications, advanced technology, and the rise of new workstyles, UCaaS security demands have changed. Today’s businesses are investing in everything from multi-factor authentication systems to provide an extra layer of protection to team members, to intelligent detection services.
Artificial Intelligence and automated services can assist companies in monitoring the performance of their UC system, tracking potential threats, and even stopping criminals in their tracks. The best UC providers allow their customers to constantly upgrade and enhance their security environment to suit new threats and risks in the workplace.
Security is Essential in UC
Having a clear strategy for Unified Communication is crucial in any business landscape. Today’s businesses need more than just a strong password policy in place. In an age of remote work and evolving communication channels, a comprehensive plan for business protection is a must.
Discover industry-leading UC security and compliance vendors here.
