vishing
Home > Unified Communications Definitions - Vishing
SearchUnifiedCommunications.com Definitions (Powered by WhatIs.com)
EMAIL THIS
LOOK UP TECH TERMS Powered by: WhatIs.com
Search listings for thousands of IT terms:
Browse tech terms alphabetically:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

vishing


Show me everything on VoIP QoS and VoIP Security

DEFINITION - Vishing (voice or VoIP phishing) is an electronic fraud tactic in which individuals are tricked into revealing critical financial or personal information to unauthorized entities. Vishing works like phishing but does not always occur over the Internet and is carried out using voice technology. A vishing attack can be conducted by voice email, VoIP (voice over IP), or landline or cellular telephone.

The potential victim receives a message, often generated by speech synthesis, indicating that suspicious activity has taken place in a credit card account, bank account, mortgage account or other financial service in their name. The victim is told to call a specific telephone number and provide information to "verify identity" or to "ensure that fraud does not occur." If the attack is carried out by telephone, caller ID spoofing can cause the victim's set to indicate a legitimate source, such as a bank or a government agency.

Vishing is difficult for authorities to trace, particularly when conducted using VoIP. Furthermore, like many legitimate customer services, vishing scams are often outsourced to other countries, which may render sovereign law enforcement powerless.

Consumers can protect themselves by suspecting any unsolicited message that suggests they are targets of illegal activity, no matter what the medium or apparent source. Rather than calling a number given in any unsolicited message, a consumer should directly call the institution named, using a number that is known to be valid, to verify all recent activity and to ensure that the account information has not been tampered with.

Learn more about VoIP QoS and VoIP Security
The benefits of linking VoIP islands: In this podcast, industry expert Jon Arnold explains how VoIP islands and voice-centric IP PBXs are limited compared with converged communications.
Mobile IP networks: An overview: Learn about mobile IP networks, from protocols to security, in this chapter excerpt from "Wireless Networking Complete."
Tutorial: VoIP ROI: This tutorial walks you through VoIP ROI basics, VoIP deployment and implementation costs, and how to build a business case for VoIP.
VoIP implementation study guide: Test your knowledge of VoIP implementation key concepts in this VoIP implementation study guide.
SIP tutorial: This comprehensive tutorial details the ins and outs of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), the VoIP and UC industries' signalling protocol of choice.

LAST UPDATED: 24 Feb 2008

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know.
Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

More resources from around the web:
- SearchVoIP.com's topic pages about VoIP security offer news, expert advice and other resources.
- On ars technica, Joel Hruska explains how vishing works.
- The RCMP Web site covers vishing in its scams section.





FILE EXTENSION AND FILE FORMAT LIST
File Extension and File Format List:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #


RELATED CONTENT
Linking VoIP islands: The value of SIP trunking
Learn how to use SIP trunking to link VoIP islands and get the full value of your VoIP networks investment.
SIP trunking ROI: Linking VoIP islands and more
In this tip, learn about SIP trunking ROI, including bridging VoIP islands, telephone services, hardware, centralization and convergence in different...
The benefits of linking VoIP islands
In this podcast, industry expert Jon Arnold explains how VoIP islands and voice-centric IP PBXs are limited compared with converged communications.




vishing Research- Communications White Papers & Expert Guides
About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
SEARCH 
TechTarget provides technology professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective purchase decisions and managing their organizations' technology projects - with its network of technology-specific websites, events and online magazines.

TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Site Map




All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2008 - 2009, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
  TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts