SecurityTube

Cisco VoIP Phone Hacked, Turned into Listening Device

JB

Network-enabled devices such as routers and printers are notoriously insecure and fully exploitable gateways leading attackers toward network resources. A researcher and PhD student at Columbia University recently added VoIP phones to the list of pressing concerns.

Ang Cui demonstrated an attack against a Cisco-branded phone where he was able to put code on the phone by installing—and then removing—an external circuit board from the Ethernet port on the phone. Then using his smartphone, Cui was able to turn the phone into a listening device even though the phone’s Off-Hook switch was enabled.