Cisco, Avaya respond to our Tester’s Challenge

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Cisco, Avaya respond to our Tester’s Challenge on VoIP security tools

Network World, 06/21/04

In our most recent Tester’s Challenge published late last month, Network World Lab Alliance partner Ed Mier charged that VoIP vendors – Cisco and Avaya, in particular – need to simplify the state of securing VoIP networks. Specifically, Mier called on vendors to make VoIP security education and technical assistance more readily available and to offer better tools for setting global VoIP security parameters.

In their formal responses printed here, Avaya and Cisco agreed with Mier’s assertions in general, but were quick to defend measures they’ve already taken in these directions. What neither company offered, though, were detailed plans for improving the overall state of VoIP security.

* Cisco’s response

To successfully protect an organization, security must be fully integrated into all aspects of the network. This is the essence of the Cisco Self-Defending Network strategy for information security.

The unique Cisco security model proactively addresses the challenges associated with securing integrated data, voice and video through focus on three key aspects of information security: secure connectivity, threat defense, and trust and identity management. While voice and video have unique requirements, the results of this evaluation clearly showed that the Cisco integrated, multi-layer approach to security can make IP-based voice very secure.

It’s important to note that most of the security tools Cisco used in the VoIP security test already should be part of any organization’s network security strategy, and there is no additional cost for any of the voice-specific tools.

Cisco agrees that designing and implementing security must be simplified. We are committed to making improvements in this area, using both education and tools.

To read this story in full, please go to:

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/062104tester.html?nl