Let’s begin, shall we?

What is a Cloud SBC?

We know that every cloud-based service runs over the internet. A cloud SBC is a software-based SBC that runs over the cloud infrastructure. Such SBCs do not require physical on-premise installations, thus eliminating the need for dedicated hardware and maintenance.

Cloud SBCs are managed by the cloud SBC service providers and are ideal for businesses seeking off-premises solutions with minimal setup and maintenance.

Key Features of a Cloud SBC

SIP Signaling

SIP, i.e., session initiation protocol, is the standard protocol that establishes, maintains, and terminates real-time sessions. Cloud SBCs act as intermediaries between different communication systems and handle SIP signaling between these systems. From setup, modification, and termination of SIP sessions, cloud SBCs ensure that SIP messages are correctly routed, translated, and processed. 

Media Transcoding

The process of media transcoding involves the conversion of media streams, such as audio or video, from one codec to another. A codec is an algorithm that is used to encode or decode media for transmission over networks. Media transcoding is required because often different devices or systems use different codecs, leading to compatibility problems.

Cloud SBCs perform media transcoding to ensure that communication endpoints with different codecs do not face compatibility issues. For instance, if one device uses the G.711 codec for audio and another uses the G.729 codec, the SBC can convert the media stream between these codecs, allowing the two devices to communicate seamlessly.

Quality of Experience (QoS)

Cloud SBCs have the fault tolerance capabilities through redundancy, and self-healing mechanisms. This is the reason why cloud session border controllers can ensure 99.999% reliability.

Here, it is important to mention that cloud providers offer different redundancy options, mainly full redundancy, which is usually higher priced, and self-healing options, which are lower in cost with potential service disruptions. This allows businesses to make cost-effective choices. 

How do Cloud SBCs Differ from Traditional SBCs?

Traditional SBCs were deployed as physical appliances within a company’s data center or at the edge of the network. They required significant capital investment, ongoing maintenance, and dedicated IT staff to manage them. As communication needs grew more complex, managing these traditional SBCs became increasingly challenging and costly.

Then happened the transition to cloud-based SBCs. The physical, on-premise infrastructure became no more a mandate and was taken over by virtualized and cloud-hosted solutions. The modern dat cloud SBCs offer the same functionalities as those of traditional SBCs but with several key advantages. There are several aspects in terms of which cloud SBCs differ from the traditional ones. Let’s have a look:

Comparison: Cloud SBCs vs Traditional SBCs

Cost Reduction Benefits of Cloud SBCs

Shift from CAPEX to OPEX

In the past, SBCs were on specialized, purpose-built hardware platforms, using proprietary appliances. Today the trend is towards deploying SBCs in the cloud. This software-centric, low up-front cost solution allows businesses to “pay as you grow” with an array of platform choices. The powerful routing capabilities of the Cloud SBC, along with SIP interworking, lowers service delivery costs through simplified operations.

Easy to Scale

When it was about appliance-based SBCs, a major challenge was choosing the right-sized infrastructure for a business network. Opting for a low-end session border controller might appear as a good way to start due to its lesser cost, but it carries along the risk of creating bottlenecks when the demand increases. On the other hand, deploying a high-end session border controller could be really expensive for the business and would often result in excess capacity.

However, the cloud approach is more scalable. While there is no on-premise hardware to worry about, cloud SBCs can easily increase/ decrease concurrent calls as per the company’s requirements.

Reduced Maintenance Cost

Cloud service providers handle the underlying infrastructure, which includes hardware maintenance,  software updates, and security patches. With this, not only does the cost to maintain the system eliminate, but it also frees up the IT team to focus their efforts on core business activities.

High Availability

Running a VoIP wholesale business demands 99.99% uptime. If we look at the traditional hardware-based SBCs, then achieving high availability would mean the installation of an additional SBC programmed to take over whenever the primary system goes down. 

This simply means either you have to burn a hole in your pocket or simply run your business with the risk of no backup. But with Cloud Session Border Controller, this problem does not arise. Cloud SBC provides carrier-grade redundancy through standby virtual machines which assure a high level of service performance and availability. That’s certainly a more cost-effective solution as compared to that costly redundant hardware.

Complexity Reduction Benefits of Cloud SBCs

Offers Comprehensive Security

IP communications systems are an indispensable and critical part of business communications. DDoS attacks, eavesdropping, and fraudulent toll calls are common types of attacks faced by VoIP networks. Modern-day cloud SBCs are capable enough to mitigate the risk of extortion, intrusion, and theft of services. Cloud SBC blocks unauthorized traffic and conceals private network topology from malicious entities to secure critical business communications.

• Topology Hiding is a key feature of SBCs wherein the private IP addresses of an application are not exposed to the outside world but are masked. This is done to prevent the mapping of the private network.
• By detecting, deflecting, and limiting the frequency of attempts, SBCs prevent DoS and DDoS attacks on the network, which otherwise could bring the company’s operations to a complete halt.

Smooths Complexity in Connections and Communications

A business handles different types of networks and protocols in real-time through a variety of IP applications. Different types of streaming formats, audio codecs, media, etc., are some of the elements that make up unified communications. SBCs ensure interworking between incompatible protocols, codecs, and SIP variants by acting as a real-time translator. It fully supports each party throughout each session to ensure that there is no loss of features.

Simplifies Session Gatekeeping and Routing

By performing Session Admission Control, SBCs act as network gatekeepers to determine who has the authorization to access the SIP network. With this, bad actors remain at bay from the system, as well as the network traffic remains in order.

For fairly large SIP networks, multiple SBCs can be used at multiple network borders. So rather than individually configuring each controller, they can be dynamically managed as a central system using one set of routing and policies. This saves a lot of time and money for the business.

Excellent Customer and Employee Experiences

There are several ways in which SBCs improve the quality of service when used as a part of UCaas, i.e., Unified Communications as a Service, or CCaaS, i.e., Contact Center as a Service. Take a look:

• By analyzing traffic and optimizing routing, SBCs increase data speeds significantly and also improve the quality of voice calls.
• During higher loads, SBCs can prioritize and redirect sessions so as to maintain performance.
• By detecting and normalizing different SIP dialects, SBCs ensure that your agents enjoy seamless and high-quality calls across multiple devices, that too in real time.

Reduced Infrastructure Footprint of Cloud SBCs

Another significant advantage of using Cloud SBCs is the reduced infrastructure footprint. First, as the need for on-premises hardware gets eliminated, the need for physical space required to house and operate the systems also gets reduced. Second, cloud SBCs reduce the consumption of energy because they don’t need electricity to power their hardware and cooling systems. 

Therefore, it helps companies to reduce their carbon footprint and foster sustainability. Third, the logistical burden on the company gets reduced. This is because maintaining cloud SBCs is the responsibility of the cloud service provider. So whether it is hardware replacement, software updates, or physical inspections, all these tasks are handled by the provider.

REVE SBC: Save Money and Improve Operational Efficiency

Having the right SBC for your business can help you reduce cost and operational complexity. REVE SBC offers great scalability, and security with high performance by supporting 30K concurrent calls with 2000 CPS from a single node. It comes with a real-time billing platform for hassle-free billing and payment that making it one of the best telecom software. REVE Session Border Controller makes use of intelligent call routing for seamless management of wholesale VoIP traffic.  If you are searching for cloud SBC Vendors or virtual SBC for your business, then please get in touch with us as our team will guide you in the right direction.

Cloud SBCs: Future Outlook

The global session border controller (SBC) market value is expected to increase from USD 789.31 million in 2024 to USD 1,672.77 million by 2034. The sharp rise in demand points toward a CAGR of 7.80% through 2034. A remarkable driver of the SBC market is the high demand for SBCs from VoIP applications. (Source- Future Market Insights )

With communication technologies continuing to evolve rapidly, it is highly likely that cloud SBCs will play a prominent and critical role in modern communication networks. The growing adoption of cloud-based services such as UCaaS and CPaaS is already evident. This rising trend shall only intensify the demand for scalable, flexible, and secure communication solutions and cloud SBCs are well-positioned to meet these needs. Cloud SBCs provide organizations with the tools to seamlessly manage complex communication environments while ensuring cost-effectiveness. 

Ultimately, we can say that in the coming time, we can see greater integration of communication infrastructure with cloud SBCs, further reducing the cost and complexity of maintaining reliable and high-quality communication services. 

Summary

From traditional hardware-based to cloud SBCs – there has been a huge transformation in the way organizations manage their communication networks. Cloud SBCs have eliminated the need for expensive physical hardware, enabling organizations to shift from capital expenditure and adopt a flexible operational expenditure model. By leveraging cloud SBCs, businesses can simplify their infrastructure management and adapt to the changing demands quite easily. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time-to-market for cloud SBCs?

Cloud SBCs are usually deployed in a matter of hours or days. On the contrary, traditional SBCs can take weeks or months for the same.

Can you name a few industries that can benefit from cloud SBCs?

Cloud SBCs can benefit organizations across various industries such as healthcare, education, finance, and telecommunications.

How can organizations maximize the reliability of a cloud SBC?

The reliability of a cloud service is ensured by the cloud service provider. So, choosing a reliable provider means expecting minimal downtime.

Do Virtual SBCs integrate with existing on-premise systems?

Yes, most of the virtual session border controllers providers offer hybrid solution that easily integrate with on-premise existing systems. This means you can expect a smooth transition and interoperability.

Are there any potential risks associated with the usage of Cloud SBCs?

Yes, vendor lock-in, data privacy concerns, and network latency are some potential risks. 

Do Virtual SBCs have the capacity to handle high call volumes?

Yes, virtual SBCs are scalable in nature which means they can be configured to handle high call volumes. This makes them an ideal choice for contact centers and large enterprises.

What are some key benefits organizations can experience using cloud SBCs?

Reduced infrastructure costs, improved scalability, enhanced security, and faster deployment are some common benefits. 

Contact for Free Demo

Read Also

Why Communication Service Providers Need an SBC?

An Overview of Session Border Controller

Note: This post has been updated on 13-12-2024.

The post How Cloud SBC Reduces Infrastructure Cost and Complexity? appeared first on Revesoft Blog.

This post provides you with a comprehensive comparison between the two popular network devices – SBCs vs Firewalls.

Let’s jump right into it!

What is a Firewall?

As the term indicates, a firewall is a network security system that typically establishes a barrier between two networks. It monitors and controls all the incoming and outgoing traffic by making use of pre-configured security rules or protocols.

What Does a Firewall Do?

A firewall lets certain things come inside the network while keeping others out, just like a security guard. It is a static technology which means firewalls can either open up or shut down interfaces. 

Key Features of a Firewall

Take a look at some of the key features of a firewall to understand how it provides primary protection to your network from unauthorized access and malicious threats.

• Packet Filtering 

The most basic feature of a firewall is packet filtering. As the term implies, it inspects each network packet to decide whether it should be allowed to pass or blocked based on its IP address or some predefined criteria. 

• Stateful Inspection 

It is a feature within the firewalls that tracks the state of active network connections to make informed decisions about incoming and outgoing traffic. This type of inspection offers a deeper level of security because traffic patterns are being analyzed and only those associated with active sessions are allowed.

• Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDP)

Firewalls with IDP systems are capable of monitoring network traffic for suspicious activities. By doing so, they detect and block malicious threats and intrusions such as malware and hacking attacks in real time.  

• Proxy Service 

Firewalls with proxy support act as intermediary between users and the internet. By preventing networks from directly connecting with other systems and inspecting all the incoming and outgoing traffic before passing it through, proxy service hides internal network addresses and thus prevents direct attacks on your systems.

• Virtual Private Network Support 

Firewalls with VPN support facilitate users with secure remote access to the network. By encrypting the traffic, it ensures secure communication for remote users. 

• Application Control 

Firewalls with application control features allow organizations to enforce security at a more granular level. Rather than relying on IP addresses and ports, this feature monitors and controls applications accessing the network or being accessed on the network. By doing so, it helps prevent unauthorized use of resources. 

Use Cases of Firewalls

Firewalls are a versatile and essential security tool with a wide range of applications across various industries and environments. Here are some common use cases of firewalls

• Network Perimeter Defense

Firewalls are extensively used to protect corporate networks from external threats. By placing a firewall at an organization’s network perimeter, the incoming and outgoing traffic gets filtered and blocks unauthorized access, malware attacks, and hacking attempts. 

• Secure Remote Access 

Firewalls with VPN support are used to allow remote employees to connect securely to the corporate networks. The firewall filters traffic to block malicious attacks and keeps the communication encrypted.

• Data Center Security 

Firewalls are also an integral part of large data centers to protect data and infrastructure within them. By monitoring the traffic between servers, firewalls prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. 

• Internal Network Segmentation 

To protect against insider threats, firewalls are used to segment internal networks thus controlling access between different internal departments. Through this segmentation, organizations can ensure that only authorized users have access to specific parts of the network. 

• Logging and Audit Capabilities 

Administrators make use of logs of network events which are stored and maintained by firewalls to detect patterns and refine security rules. It is essential to update these rules regularly to stay ahead of the evolving cyber threats. 

What is a Session Border Controller?

SBC or Session Border Controllers are much more advanced when it comes to traffic management. While Firewalls are able to work up to 4 layers of the OSI model of a network, SBCs work all the way up to layer 7. SBCs thus act as a single network management solution that addresses all security and application concerns.

When the internet came into existence, it offered very little protection to data. Hackers, cyber attackers, and spammers could easily get into a network and steal or misuse data shared over the cloud.

Firewalls were introduced to offer network security and they did their job well for a long time, but eventually failed to meet the security requirements of the ever-growing networks. Firewalls have control only over the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th layers of the OSI model i.e. Data Link Layer, Network Layer and Transport Layer. However, with constant changes being made in security protocols and system updates, changes are introduced in the 3rd and 4th layers of the OSI model. But layer 5 to layer 7 remain unchanged as firewalls could not access those. This results in some significant quality issues in real-time communications such as echo in voice and video communication.

As the technologies advanced, so did the tactics of hackers who figured out one way or the other to execute their attacks.

SBCs perform their functions to ensure that phone calls and video systems remain free of any quality issues and thus end users can have a smooth communication experience. Moreover, SBCs ensure that the quality of communication remains unaffected even when additional people are conferenced in. From a security perspective, SBCs make use of AI to detect any malicious parties entering the system. It makes use of static and dynamic ACLs i.e. Access Control Lists to define who is authorized to come in and who is not.

Key Features of SBC

• Encryption and Decryption 

SBCs support industry-standard encryption protocols such as SRTP and TLS to encrypt voice and signaling traffic thus ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information. 

• Quality of Service 

SBCs implement various QoS techniques like jitter buffering and packet prioritization to ensure that voice traffic receives the required bandwidth and priority over other network traffic.

• NAT Traversal

SBCs enable VoIP communication across networks through NAT Traversal i.e. modify signaling and media packets to include the SBC’s public IP and port information

• Load Balancing 

Through load balancing i.e. distributing traffic across multiple servers, SBCs ensures optimal resource utilization and prevent overload.

• Failovers 

SBCs come with built-in redundancy mechanisms that help them maintain uninterrupted services. This happens as systems automatically switch to backup systems in the event of hardware or software issues.

• Regulatory Compliance 

SBCs can be configured to comply with various regulatory standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.

Applications of SBC

Session Border Controllers are extensively used in VoIP and SIP-based communications for efficient management and security. Various industries such as healthcare, and online gaming make use of SBCs to prevent attacks and ensure security. 

Key Differences Between SBC and Firewall

Now let us understand the difference between SBC and Firewall in terms of various parameters. This will help you select the right one for your business.

Communication

Session Border Controllers perform the job of managing and controlling real-time voice and video communication sessions. However, Firewalls can either block or allow the data communication flow.

Implementation

The implementation of Session Border Controller takes place as a Back-to-Back-User-Agent i.e. B2BUA. On the other hand, Firewalls are implemented as proxy servers.

Media & Signaling

Session Border Controllers are actively involved in the processing of both signaling and media paths. Whereas in the case of Firewalls, there is no involvement in the audio/video streams or the RTP media path.

OSI Layers

Session Border Controllers can deal with any layer of the OSI stack. However, Firewalls can only look at traffic on layers 2, 3 & 4 of the OSI model.

Topology Hiding

A major parameter that differentiates SBCs from Firewalls is Topology Hiding. SBCs perform Topology Hiding by removing or hiding basic internal network information from the signaling stream. This is done to prevent internal network details from being propagated to untrusted networks.

Codec Transcoding

Another way SBCs stand out is their ability to perform interworking between incompatible codecs, protocols, and SIP variants. SBCs act as real-time translators throughout each session to ascertain that there is no loss of features.

Functionality

The main role of Firewalls is to provide security to the network while Session Border Controllers go well beyond the security focus of the firewalls. Besides security, SBCs also ensure that the communication traffic is delivered via the optimum route by using intelligent call routing. By doing so, SBCs ensure QoS i.e. Quality of Service, and hence boost customer satisfaction.

It is important to understand the functions of both firewalls and SBCs in controlling traffic and implementing security policies. Only then we can be successful in creating a network design that ensures the protection of the vital communication systems as well as providing the desired level of QoS to users.

Complementary Role of SBC and Firewall

It is important to understand that SBCs do not replace firewalls. With all the differences in their features and functionalities, there are several instances where an SBC compliments a firewall. This means they both often work together in a complementary manner. Let’s have a look at how they make a strong partnership: 

• Security 

Firewalls act as the first line of defense. They are used as an initial security barrier to protect networks from external threats, usually malware, and DoS attacks. Session Border Controllers, on the other hand, focus on securing real-time communication sessions. They are good at preventing attacks like SIP flooding, call highjacking, and eavesdropping. 

• Communication Management

Session Border Controllers primarily handle voice and video communication sessions in real time. They employ certain services like QoS, call admission control, and NAT traversal to ensure sessions are efficiently managed, prioritized, and secured. A firewall does not directly play a role in these functions but plays a supporting role by filtering out general malicious traffic before it reaches the SBC. 

• Network Integration 

SBCs often play the role of gatekeepers that bridge different types of communication networks, such as the PSTN and VoIP networks. SBCs ensure seamless communication between devices on VoIP and PSTN networks by translating signaling protocols and media formats used by these different devices. 

When integrating PSTN and VoIP networks, SBCs create interfaces that connect the internal network to the external world. At these interfaces, unauthorized access or security breaches could occur. This is where a firewall could help. As it sits at the boundary of the network, it offers an additional layer of security by performing traffic filtration, blocking unwanted external access, and preventing network attacks. 

SBC vs Firewall: Which One Do You Need?

When to Use a Firewall?

• For General Network Protection 
• Within Non-VoIP Environments 
• Intrusion Prevention

When to Use an SBC?

• Within VoIP and Unified Communications Environments 
• For Regulatory Compliance 
• To protect Real-time Communication 
• For Multi-network VoIP Integration 

About REVE SBC

REVE SBC is a robust and scalable Class 4 Softswitch platform designed and developed for communication service providers. It comes with a powerful distributed architecture that ensures network availability and resiliency against cyber threats. Integrated with a real-time billing platform that works on intelligent routing, REVE SBC adds more scalability to your IP wholesale business.

Do You Need Both SBC and Firewall?

There are several scenarios (a few I have mentioned above) where using both an SBC and a firewall together is the best approach. While a firewall offers primary defense for the overall network, the SBC takes it to an advanced level. By combining the strengths of both firewalls and SBCs, organizations can protect and manage their networks through a layered approach. 

SBC vs Firewall: Conclusion

We all know that the security of VoIP networks is important and many of us are under the perception that a Firewall offers almost equal security as that of an SBC. So the contemplation of whether one really needs to purchase an SBC to secure their business network remains there. Clearly, Session Border Controllers are the superior choice for ensuring secure, reliable, and high-quality IP-based interactive communications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an SBC the same as Firewall?

No, an SBC or Session Border Controller is different from a firewall as they serve different purposes. Though both are network devices, an SBC is specially designed to manage and secure real-time communication such as VoIP. On the other side, a firewall provides general network security by performing traffic filtering and blocking unauthorized access. 

Which one is better: SBC or Firewall?

Both SBC and Firewall are valuable tools. The choice for ‘better’ depends upon your specific requirements. SBCs are great for securing and managing VoIP traffic. However, if your primary concern is general network protection, then a firewall is more suitable. 

Can a Firewall and SBC be used together?

Yes, SBCs and Firewalls can be used together. They should be used together to provide comprehensive network security and communication management they offer when combined. While an SBC can manage and secure real-time communication sessions, a firewall can protect the SBC from external threats.

How do SBCs ensure low latency and high quality of service (QoS) for real-time communications?

SBCs employ different techniques to ensure low latency and high QoS such as prioritizing real-time traffic over other types of data, transcoding and transrating to adapt media to network conditions, managing bandwidth, and using redundant configurations to ensure high availability.

Can an SBC be configured to prioritize specific types of VoIP traffic?

Yes, you can configure an SBC  to prioritize certain types of VoIP traffic. By implementing Quality of Service policies, you can assign different levels of priority to different types of traffic. For example, real-time communication such as voice traffic can be given higher priority over data traffic to ensure that call quality is not affected by network congestion.

Note- This post has been updated on 29-11-2024.

The post SBC vs Firewall : Which one is a Better Choice? appeared first on Revesoft Blog.

Clear, seamless, and secure communication is indeed an absolute imperative for any business in today’s interconnected world. Poor call quality and network unreliability can lead to lost opportunities and customer dissatisfaction. It wouldn’t be wrong if I say that these are the challenges that no organization would want to face. And, this is where Session Border Controllers or SBCs play their part, addressing these challenges and emerging as critical components of modern communication infrastructures. 

Through this blog, let’s understand the benefits of SBCs, and how they contribute towards building robust and resilient business communication networks. By the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of why implementing a Session Border Controller is necessary for your business. So let’s begin! 

What is an SBC or Session Border Controller?

An SBC or Session Border Controller is a specialized network device, usually either software or hardware, predominantly used in VoIP or Voice over IP networks to manage and safeguard voice and video calls. SBCs are typically positioned at the edge of a network so that they can monitor, control, and secure the traffic that moves between internal and external networks. 

Role of SBC in IP Communications

IP communications have transformed the way businesses communicate. With the transmission of voice, video, and data over an IP network, this technology has enabled a wide range of services such as VoIP, video conferencing, instant messaging, unified communications, etc., which businesses can leverage to enjoy more flexible, cost-effective, and feature-rich communication services. 

Let’s get straight to it –  why is a Session Border Controller essential for your VoIP or IP communications network? Before I answer this question, let’s first look at some shocking yet valuable statistics: 

• 64% of customers expect companies to interact with them without delay during phone calls. (Salesforce)

• Over 60% of customers switch companies due to poor phone-based customer service experiences. (Accenture)

• Network downtime costs businesses an average of $5,600 per minute, equating to over $300,000 per hour. (Gartner)

• A single fraud event can cost a company between $3,000 and $50,000 but can be much higher. For example, a 2009 attack on an Australian company’s VoIP PBX resulted in a bill of over $120,000.

From these figures, it’s easy to envision the serious repercussions businesses face due to poor call quality and network unreliability.

Returning to the question at hand, the answer is quite simple: SBCs contribute to the effectiveness of IP communications in several ways such as providing protection against attacks, performing interoperability, maintain Quality of Service, and offering Network Address Translation (NAT), and Port Address Translation (PAT) services. By deploying an SBC, you can significantly improve the reliability, security, and overall performance of your communication infrastructure.

How Do Session Border Controllers Work?

Before you consider buying or implementing any technology for your business, it is important to understand its functioning. Doing so will help you decide better whether your business needs it or not. When considering an SBC for your networks, first take an in-depth look into its working criteria, which is as follows: 

• The Session Initiates 

Upon initiation of a VoIP call, the SBC intercepts the SIP signaling traffic. The SIP signaling request is analyzed and it confirms whether the request is from a trusted source. Once confirmed, the connection gets established. 

• Authentication and Authorization is Validated 

SBCs perform credential checks for users or the devices making the request. With this, it is ensured that only authorized users are allowed to initiate calls. 

• Protocols are Normalized 

As the calls progress, SBCs perform interoperability or normalization of the protocols and codecs i.e. converting different versions of protocols/ codecs into a standard format for seamless communication. 

• Encryption and Decryption is Performed 

To secure data in transit, SBCs perform encryption of signaling and media streams. This helps ensure that the call cannot be intercepted through unauthorized access. SBCs can also decrypt incoming packets for inspection, adding a layer of protection against potential threats. 

• Bandwidth Allocation and QoS Management is Implemented

As the call proceeds further, SBCs perform traffic prioritization to manage bandwidth. This helps prevent packet loss, delay, jitter, and other issues. SBCs also enforce QoS policies to ensure consistent, high-quality calls even when the network is congested. 

• Traffic Monitoring and Fraud Detection in Action

An important function that SBCs perform throughout the call is monitoring the traffic and identifying unusual patterns that may indicate fraud or abuse. 

• Managing Session Termination and Call Logging 

As the call ends, the SBC clears all the allocated resources and logs the call details for tracking, compliance, and analysis.

Top Advantages of SBCs in VoIP Networks

Session Border Controllers when implemented within a VoIP business network can bring tremendous benefits. Let’s take a look at the key benefits offered by SBCs: 

Robust Security

As mentioned at the start of this post, businesses often seek answers to this question – Why do we need an SBC when there’s already a firewall installed? Well, let me answer this for you in more detail. It is true that firewalls and SBCs offer similar roles, they serve distinct purposes, particularly when it comes to VoIP communications.

Firewalls can provide basic security for VoIP traffic. However, when it comes to addressing the specific challenges of SIP traffic, firewalls are simply not sufficient. On the contrary, SBCs are designed to handle VoIP traffic as they mainly focus on scanning SIP-enabled traffic.

Some key functions performed by SBCs that Firewalls lack are:  

• Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): SBCs perform DPI to inspect the content of VoIP traffic packets, thus identifying and blocking malicious packets. Firewalls are not designed to perform such detailed analysis.

• Session Management: From initiation to termination, SBCs are involved in the management of the entire lifecycle of a VoIP call. They enforce various policies to efficiently perform session management. On the other hand, firewalls lack such a level of granular control when it comes to VoIP sessions.

• Security Features: SBCs come with a wide range of security features including authentication and authorization, encryption, DoS and DDoS protection, call screening and filtering, etc. On the contrary, firewalls typically offer basic security features and do not offer the same level of protection as SBCs.

• Quality of Service: SBCs ensure optimum call quality at all times even during congested network conditions by enforcing QoS. In contrast, firewalls cannot prioritize certain types of traffic. 

Overall, SBCs enforce real-time security methods, and procedures to provide protection, management and quality optimization for VoIP traffic. 

Seamless Connectivity

The modern-day networks are complex, comprising diverse devices like phones, printers, and computers. All these are connected to a single business network making management of these devices a critical challenge. This happens because every device may use different communication protocols and configurations, leading to compatibility and connectivity issues. 

Moreover, it’s not just about the networks, several businesses also work with multiple service providers for their communication needs. Likewise, each service provider may be using different protocols, adding to the complexity of managing smooth communication. 

SBCs help by acting as a centralized management point, sitting on the boundary between your organization’s network and external service providers. From there, it controls and manages the flow of communication between different devices and services by normalizing communication protocols, thus ensuring compatibility and efficiency. 

Improved Quality of Service

Without SBCs, businesses relying on VoIP are bound to struggle with poor call quality no matter if it is voice or video. SBCs ensure Quality of Service (QoS) through various functions including: 

• Jitter buffering smooths out variations in packet arrival times, resulting in consistent audio and video call quality. 
• Call Admission Control or CAC regulates the number of active calls on the network, thus preventing overloading. 
• Bandwidth management dynamically allocates resources thus preventing network congestion. 
• Traffic prioritization ensures that real-time communication or traffic with high-priority labels receives the necessary bandwidth. 

Flexible Network Scaling

Business networks often have fluctuating demands. SBCs employ several strategies to provide these networks with flexible scaling, thus enabling businesses to scale their communication networks up and down based on their current needs, without compromising reliability and quality. Here are some key function of SBCs to support network scaling:

• Load Balancing: SBCs distribute traffic across multiple servers to prevent overload and optimize performance. 
• Redundancy: Multiple SBCs are deployed in a redundant configuration to minimize failover. 
• Resource Allocation: SBCs can dynamically allocate resources (CPU, memory, etc.) to handle increased traffic loads.

Cost Savings

It’s not just one but several different ways through which session border controllers help businesses save their costs. Let’s take a look: 

• SBCs make efficient usage of bandwidth. SBCs prioritize voice and video traffic, ensuring that only necessary data is transmitted. This helps reduce the overall bandwidth requirements leading to lower data costs. 

• The interoperability feature of SBCs simply eliminates the need for multiple gateway devices, reducing hardware costs. Additionally, SBCs support cloud-based deployments, which further adds to the savings against on-premise hardware and associated maintenance costs. 

• SBCs allow businesses to scale their communication needs without making any significant investments in the infrastructure. 

• SBCs perform continuous monitoring and management of the networks, leading to proactive resolution of potential issues. This helps in minimizing downtime and reduces the need for frequent repairs. Ultimately, it lowers maintenance and support costs over time. 

Real World Use Cases for Session Border Controllers

In both the enterprise and service provider network landscape, session border controllers play a pivotal role. Let’s delve into these practical scenarios to understand how SBCs are applied in these environments: 

• Role of SBCs in Enterprise Networks

Enterprise networks increasingly rely on VoIP for internal and external communications. With this, the need for secure voice channels becomes essential. SBCs safeguard VoIP traffic from threats like toll fraud, DoS attacks, call tampering, and eavesdropping. By enforcing robust security mechanisms like encryption and authentication, SBCs ensure the security and privacy of data The firewall capabilities of SBCs enable it to block unwanted traffic and prevent unauthorized access to the network. 

And there’s more – SBCs also play a critical role in enabling secure remote work and unified communications within enterprise networks. Employees stay connected remotely using VoIP, video conferencing and collaboration tools. SBCs secure voice and video data, handle traffic prioritization, and manage user authentication enabling remote workers to securely and reliably connect with their teams. This helps remote employees to work from anywhere without worrying about unsecured networks. 

• Role of SBCs in Service Provider Networks

Delivering optimum service quality is essential for telecom and internet service providers. SBCs optimize the routing and processing of VoIP calls, ensuring that customers always experience consistent, clear, and uninterrupted interactions, regardless of the network’s load. 

Moreover, SBCs protect service providers against fraud and abuse such as toll fraud and call hijacking. For instance, SBCs are capable of identifying and blocking unauthorized call attempts and fraudulent activities including unusual call volumes from specific locations or numbers. It’s of great benefit to service providers as they can prevent financial losses as well as maintain the trust of their customers. 

REVE SBC: Fortifying VoIP Security and Performance

With a deeper understanding of SBCs and their benefits, you’re now well-equipped to make a strategic decision about adding one to your network. At REVE, we are committed to empowering our clients with the knowledge they need about the telecommunications sector. We understand the disruptive impact of cyberattacks, which is why we are dedicated to sharing knowledge to help you safeguard your business. 

Our REVE Session Border Controller, is an advanced SBC solution that is engineered to offer protection and optimization to your networks. It is a powerful and scalable Class 4 Softswitch platform for communication service providers, that helps make IP wholesale business easily manageable and scalable.

SBC Benefits – Key Takeaway!

Many business organizations have traditional SBC deployments which often don’t meet the needs of modern day networks. If you too are considering the need to upgrade your SBC or go for a new deployment, our experts can help you make the right decision. 

Are you ready to take the next step? Schedule a call with our SBC experts today! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you need an SBC?

Session Border controllers offer various benefits for VoIP networks. This includes enhanced security, improved call quality, simplified network management, interoperability, and scalability. All these benefits make SBCs essential for VoIP communications.

Can SBCs be used with cloud-based VoIP solutions?

Yes, In fact, SBCs are often integrated into cloud communication services. By using SBCs with cloud-based VoIP solutions, SBCs can provide an additional layer of security, handle interoperability between cloud and on-premises systems as well as optimize call quality. With SBC deployment, enterprises can experience secure, clear, and reliable calls.

What is protocol translation in SBCs?

Protocol translation, or protocol interworking is a crucial function of SBCs which converts different signaling protocols between different devices and networks into a standard format, thus ensuring compatibility. This functionality of SBCs is important because it provides seamless communication even when other protocols are used.

Can SBCs reduce VoIP downtime?

Yes, SBCs can reduce VoIP downtime significantly. Session Border Controllers provide features like load balancing, redundancy, and failover that effectively maintain network availability even during failures or increased traffic. By rerouting calls to an alternative path or distributing the load across multiple servers, SBCs maintain continuous service and minimize service disruptions. 

What types of threats can SBCs prevent?

SBCs offer a shield against a wide range of threats including DoS attacks, DDoS attacks, Spoofing, call interception, toll fraud, denial of service, eavesdropping, and Man-in-the-Middle attacks. 

Are SBCs only for large enterprises?

No, SBCs are beneficial and valuable for organizations of all sizes. Whether a small company or a large enterprise, they can benefit from the security, quality optimization and interoperability features offered by SBCs. However, large organizations may require advanced features and scalability, smaller ones can benefit from SBCs with basic features. 

Can an SBC help with network scalability?

SBCs efficiently help with network scalability by handling increasing traffic volumes and supporting the addition of new users and devices. With features like load balancing, protocol translation, and resource management, SBCs make sure the network can grow and adapt to changing needs.

The post Benefits of Session Border Controller (SBC) in your Network appeared first on Revesoft Blog.

However, if you are not familiar with this technology, then this blog will provide you with comprehensive information to understand SIP trunking, how it works, and the benefits it can offer to businesses of different sizes. So let’s get started!

What is SIP Trunking?

SIP trunking is a communication technology that enables businesses to make and receive phone calls over the internet instead of traditional phone lines. SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol, which is a standard protocol used to initiate, maintain, and terminate real-time communication sessions, such as voice and video calls, over the internet.

How does SIP Trunking Work?

The common steps of how calls are made using SIP trunking solutions are:

1. The first step is to select and signup with a SIP Trunk provider. Once done, the business will receive phone numbers and credentials from the provider to set up their connection with the provider’s network.
2. In the next step, the business configures its existing phone system with the SIP provider’s network by setting up SIP trunks using appropriate credentials and settings.
3. Now when a phone call is made or a phone number is dialed, it gets routed to the PBX which transmits the call to a SIP trunk on the provider’s network.
4. As a reply, the SIP trunk opens a VoIP session with the number, and the call is processed and established.
5. Then comes the call handling part, where the data is transmitted over the internet in real-time. To handle the call, various features such as call recording, call transfer, and call hold can be used.
6. Once the call is completed, the SIP trunk terminates the session.

Benefits of SIP Trunking

SIP is a powerful technology that offers numerous benefits to businesses regardless of their size. Here’s a list of some of the major benefits:

1. The very first benefit of SIP trunking is cost savings. This is because there is no physical equipment required in setting up the system, and installation cost is significantly reduced as compared to other solutions where cabling work is required. Businesses can simply make calls using the internet which is less expensive.
2. The next benefit of SIP trunking is scalability and flexibility. Phone lines can be added and removed as and when needed without any investment in additional hardware or software licenses. So it’s an ideal choice for growing companies or businesses that experience fluctuations in their call volumes.
3. Another key benefit of SIP trunking is its flexibility. It allows employees to make and receive calls using any device such as a laptop, mobile phone, tablet, etc., offering complete convenience to those working from remote locations.
4. When it comes to integrating other communication tools into the phone system to streamline communication and collaboration, SIP trunking lets businesses do so quite easily. This helps employees in working together and get things done effectively and efficiently.

SIP Trunking vs. Traditional Phone Lines

By now, it is clear that SIP trunking and traditional phone lines both provide a way for businesses to communicate by making and receiving phone calls. Both these technologies have their certain advantages and disadvantages, as mentioned below:

Transmission

Traditional phone lines use a physical connection typically copper wires to transmit voice data over PSTN. This physical connection is limited by the number of available wires, which is a costly process. In terms of functionality, traditional phone lines offer only limited features such as call forwarding and caller ID.

On the other side, SIP trunking makes use of the internet to transmit voice data eliminating the need for hardware and wires. There is flexibility in the number of lines used and is certainly cost-effective. In terms of features, there is a much wider range as compared to traditional lines. 

Scalability

This is another factor where SIP trunking beats the traditional lines. Through SIP trunking, businesses can scale up and down by adding and removing SIP trunks to align with the changing demands of their business. For remote workers, this proves to be a great advantage as they can connect with the phone system by having access to a strong internet connection. However, traditional lines have fixed capacity. To scale up, additional physical phone lines must be added which again adds to the cost and takes time.

Configuration

When it comes to the ease of configuration, SIP trunking is certainly better than traditional phone lines. SIP trunks can be configured using web-based portals and wizards, however traditional; phone lines require manual installation which needs high expertise and more time.

Reliability

This is a parameter where traditional lines are ahead of the SIP trunking. This is because SIP trunking works over the internet, so if the internet connection is slow or unreliable then it can cause result in poor quality of service of the phone system. Traditional lines are less susceptible to issues like internet outages, power outages, etc.

SIP Trunking vs Cloud PBX: Which Is Right for Your Business?

It is true that both SIP trunking and Cloud PBX are popular solutions used by businesses to fulfill their communication needs. While both technologies offer reliable and efficient communication, there are some key factors that differentiate these from one another, as mentioned below:

SIP Trunking solutions connect business phone systems to the public switched telephone networks over the internet. With this, businesses are able to take advantage of internet-based communication, such as lower investment. Through SIP trunking, communication technologies like instant messaging and video conferencing can be integrated into the PBX.

On the other side, Cloud PBX is a unified communication phone system that is hosted in the internet cloud, rather than on-site. In simple words, a business doesn’t need to invest in expensive equipment and installation to set up and run its phone system. Cloud PBX offers features such as voicemail, call forwarding, etc.

Are you still thinking about which option is the right choice for your business? Well, here are some points to help you:

Cost

In cloud PBX, a business doesn’t need to invest in PBX servers because the service provider takes care of that. Now, that the phone system runs over the internet cloud and you don’t need to buy any extensive hardware, your initial setup cost is saved. This can be as low as several hundred dollars.

In the case of SIP trunking, your savings depends on the on-premise PBX that you already have. So if your equipment is really outdated and then you might have to invest in buying a new one. Also, you may need to pay for the VoIP gateway along with any installation or configuration charges.

Key Takeaway- If you don’t currently have a PBX, Cloud PBX services will be the better option. But if you have one, then you must consider the benefits of SIP trunking. A lot of your equipment can be reused which will save you significant money on your current PBX bill.

Technical Expertise and Maintenance

In the case of Cloud PBX, your service provider will be handling the maintenance of the server and software. Also, technical challenges such as outages and disruptions are on their part. So you don’t need to make any investment in all these activities.

In the case of SIP trunking, the PBX is locally installed, which means servers are stored on your premises. So you’ll need a team of IT experts to look after the equipment along with the tasks of updates and troubleshooting.

Key Takeaway – Your ultimate objective is to establish a stable business phone system and to achieve that any investment would be worthwhile as long as it guarantees high quality of service.

Size of the Business

Hosted PBX services are generally considered a good option for companies with a lesser number of employees. Those startups and small-sized businesses, say up to 20, can avail of high-quality phone services by opting for hosted PBX services.

Now, when it comes to organizations that have more employees and are growing rapidly, it is always a better option to go for SIP trunking

Key Takeaway – Figure out your current employee count along with the planned number of employees. Also, consider whether you currently own a PBX system or not.

Call Quality

With cloud PBX, the call quality depends largely on the internet connection. Unstable connections and outages can badly affect the quality of your calls.

However, in the case of SIP trunking, a business can use a dedicated line or have a backup connection that they can switch to whenever required. The only thing to ensure here is that always choose a provider that uses a Tier-1 carrier network to experience the highest possible call quality.

Key Takeaway – Analyze your internet connection and the volume of calls to choose the right option.

Security

As with other activities, security is also looked after by the service provider when we talk about hosted or cloud PBX. So as a business, you depend on your service provider for the security of your PBX. If you are in good hands, then there’s nothing to worry about.

In the case of SIP trunking, you can expect superior security. The security of your Phone setup will depend upon your own security policies and how well you are able to maintain them.

Key Takeaway – Analyze other factors such as your staff size and budget before making a decision.

Future of SIP Trunking

As a matter of fact, the future of SIP trunking looks highly promising. More and more companies are switching to VoIP solutions like SIP trunks as their primary mode of communication. This is because of the tremendous advances in cloud computing technology allowing businesses to leverage several benefits including lower costs and increased functionalities. In addition to this, state-of-the-art security measures add to the reliability of these services thus inducing confidence among the organizations to utilize them without worrying about data breaches and cyber attacks on their networks.

And there’s even more! The consistent incorporation of new functionalities offers more flexibility in managing communication across an organization or its different global locations, thus making them more appealing to businesses looking for a comprehensive yet economical telephony solution, today as well as in the future!

How to Choose the Best SIP Trunking Provider?

If you are looking forward to selecting the best SIP trunking provider for your business, it is advisable to consider these factors:

Features

Look out for advanced features such as call routing, auto-attendant, call recording, etc., from your SIP trunk provider. You can also ask them for customization and integrations in terms of features that can benefit your business.

Reliability

A business cannot survive in the market if it does not offer reliable solutions. So make sure you opt for reliable services that guarantee minimal downtime. To ensure this, you can check the Service Level Agreement of your provider.

Price

The cost of the service is an important aspect that you should not ignore. Ask your provider about the cost of calling, monthly charges, setup fee, and if there are any other hidden charges.

Scalability

Certainly, you want to avail services from a provider who can handle your current call volume needs and can also scale up and down in the future according to the requirements of your business.

Support

Initially, the need for support services from your provider may not appear essential, but you should not miss this step. Rather, go with a provider that offers 24/7 support and an instant response time.

You can consider these factors and compare different SIP trunking providers to shortlist a few and then finalize the most appropriate one.

Contact for Free Demo

Read Also

Importance of a Session Border Controller in SIP Trunking

The post SIP Trunking: Everything you Need to Know About It appeared first on Revesoft Blog.

Neighbor Spoofing is a common example of spoofed calling where robocallers display a number similar to the receiver’s caller ID. This is done to increase the chances that the target will answer the call.

What is the Role of STIR / SHAKEN in Combating Spoofed Calls?

STIR stands for Secure Telephony Identity Revisited and SHAKEN stands for Secure Handling of Asserted information using toKENs. STIR/SHAKEN is a suite of protocols and procedures designed to reduce fraudulent robocalls and illegal phone number spoofing.

STIR vs SHAKEN : What’s the Difference?

STIR is basically the set of protocols used to create a digital signature for a call. It focuses on end devices and allows verification of the signature. SHAKEN addresses the deployment which means it focuses on how STIR can be implemented within carrier networks.

How does STIR / SHAKEN Work?

STIR/SHAKEN makes use of digital certificates which are based on common public cryptographic keys to define the authenticity of a phone number. Here’s how it works:

1. When a call gets initiated, the originating service provider receives an SIP INVITE.
2. This originating service provider then checks the source of the call and its phone number to determine how to attest its validity which is one from the following three levels:

Full Attestation (A) – Full Attestation means the service provider has established a verified association with the telephone number of the calling party.

Partial Attestation (B) – This means that the service provider approved the authentication for the origin of the call i.e. the customer but has not established a verified association with the phone number used for making the call.

Gateway Attestation (C) – This is when the service provider has authenticated the entry point of the call or from where it received the call, but not the source of the call.

3. Now an SIP Identity header is created by the originating service provider. This SIP identity header contains information on the call origin, calling number, called number, current timestamp, and level of attestation.
4. The SIP INVITE with the SIP Identity header is sent to the terminating service provider.
5. The SIP INVITE with Identity Header is passed on to the verification service.
6. The verification service obtains the digital certificate from the public certificate repository and starts its multi-step verification process. If all the verification steps gets completed, then it is declared that the number has not been spoofed.
7. The results are returned to the terminating service provider.

Deploying SBCs with STIR/SHAKEN to Prevent Unwanted Robocalling

Deployment of Session Border Controllers is one of the most effectual ways to combat robocalling through STIR/SHAKEN technology. REVE SBC is a powerful and scalable platform that has been adopted by several communication service providers to ensure that their network remains robust and resilient to robocalls as well as various frauds that happen in the telecom industry. Read our post on Telecom Fraud Management to identify and prevent telecom frauds in real-time.

Conclusion

Now it is clear that STIR and SHAKEN are call authentication standards that provide a secure way to validate a caller’s identity and stop illegal caller ID spoofing. If you are looking for SBCs with STIR/SHAKEN solutions, then please get in touch with us.

Contact for Free Demo

Read Also

SIP/VoIP Fraud Attacks: Why Operators Need a Reliable Solution? 

Prevent Spoofed Robocalls with STIR/SHAKEN

IPsec or Internet Protocol Security

The post How does STIR/SHAKEN help in Combating Spoofed Calls? appeared first on Revesoft Blog.

According to a survey released by Mobileum Inc. (“Mobileum”), it has been found that 75% of operators polled were experiencing new or emerging incidents of fraud and 61% said network security threats increased significantly with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report even provides data about the types of fraud loss in which IRSF and Traffic pumping incur to $6.69 billion and $4.54 billion respectively in 2021.

With these numbers, it becomes evident that to manage the pervasive threat of telco fraud, industry providers must have an effective fraud management approach that defends businesses and consumers.

What is Fraud Management in Telecom?

Frauds are not a new thing in the telecom industry – they have always been there. Technology is changing at a fast pace, and so are telecom fraud tactics. Fraudsters formulate new ways or simply tweak the existing methods to abuse telecommunications products and services. Their ultimate intention is to use services for free or illegally acquire money from CSPs or end users. High frequency, multiple layers of anonymity, and global nature help attackers to remain undetected.

An effective Telecom Fraud Detection Management process is a critical element in determining the success of a telecommunication company. Such a mechanism is important to detect and prevent fraudulent activities which can cause revenue losses.  There are different types of telecommunication fraud that need to be addressed and handled by these mechanisms. Before we discuss this in detail, let us first take a look at the most common types of telecom fraud that one should know about.

Types of Telecom Fraud

Based on the target of the attackers, telecom frauds can be divided into two categories – Telcos and end users. Some of the major frauds that affect both carriers and end users are as mentioned below:

IRSF: International Revenue Share Fraud

IRSF is one of the biggest fraud challenges for Telcos. In a report by CFCA, Revenue Share Fraud accounts for a $4 billion to $6.1 billion loss to the telecom industry. In this type of fraud attempt, the attackers take advantage of premium phone rates. Here’s how it happens:

• The attacker leases a premium phone number.
• The attacker then breaks into a business’s phone system and makes multiple calls to the premium rate number. Generally, these calls are made for a long duration to increase the phone bill.
• Huge phone bills are generated and paid by the business, 25% of which goes into the pockets of the attackers.

These calls are generally made outside a business’s working hours. Most of the time, companies do not realize that they have been attacked unless the time to pay the phone bill arrives.

Call Forwarding Fraud

Call Forward fraud is a sophisticated form of telecommunication fraud. Attackers first hack access to the PBX system or IVR (Interactive Voice Response) of an enterprise. Then they configure call forwarding to a premium long-distance number. Once done, the attacker calls the phone number of the hacked PBX system which forwards the call to the premium number. Here the attacker earns profit from IRSF.

Wangiri Fraud

It is also known as ‘One Ring and Cut’ Fraud. Wangiri is a Japanese word that means one and cut. It’s a telephone scam that aims at striking curiosity among customers by calling from premium rate numbers. Each call is made to ring only once and is hung up. Thus, leaving a missed call on the recipient’s phone. The recipient often calls back without knowing that it’s a premium rate number controlled by fraudsters.

Interconnect Bypass Fraud

Also known as Toll Bypass Fraud or GSM Gateway Fraud, these types of frauds are executed by routing unauthorized traffic to a local operator via Sim Box or GSM Gateway. This is done so that the call terminates with the local operators and thus the expensive international interconnect gets replaced with an extremely low-cost routing channel. The bad actors thus earn the cost difference.

Wholesale SIP Trunking Fraud

In this type of fraud, the fraudsters make money by selling wholesale trunking services. The fraudsters use stolen credentials to terminate calls. Usually, a huge number of random calls are generated by fraudsters where destinations are not high cost but are not low cost either. This is how it is executed:

1. The attacker steals the subscriber’s username and password
2. Attacker’s softswitch registers with the service provider’s softswitch using stolen credentials
3. A legitimate user places a call
4. The attacker sends INVITE to the service provider’s softswitch
5. Softswitch routes call to an international long-distance destination

Wholesale SIP trunking fraud is often difficult to detect. This is because the call patterns in these frauds look similar to normal subscriber usage.

Subscription Frauds

This type of fraud is executed by obtaining stolen identities (KYC documents) of customers from phishing attacks or purchasing from the dark web. Customer information is used to sign up for new telecom contracts and use their products and service but without the intention of paying them. It has been estimated that almost 40% of bad debts are actually subscription frauds.

How to Identify Fraud in Telecom?

Traditional Approaches to telecom fraud detection are based on the blacklisting of fraud phone numbers. But today attackers can simply bypass such detection by changing their phone numbers using VoIP.  Some of the most common techniques for telecom fraud detection are:

1. Collison Checks – Here the time period between two calls done by the same subscriber is checked for not colliding with a previously specified window.
2. Velocity Checks – These types of frauds are detected by checking the GIS data to detect the distance between two locations and the delta time between the calls made by the same subscriber.
3. New Subscriber Checks – In this type, false information is provided by the subscriber as he doesn’t intend to pay for the services used. Phonetic matches in the subscriber’s name are looked for in telecom fraud detection.
4. Patten Checks – Here specific patterns in the user activities are looked upon. This is a powerful method and can be used to detect multiple types of fraud.
5. Profile Checks – The calling pattern of the users is monitored and updated on their profile. Any unusual calling behavior may indicate fraud.

Best Practices for Telecom Fraud Prevention

We all know that prevention is better than cure. The same saying applies to the telecom fraud prevention scenario. Though attackers would always formulate new ways to penetrate into the systems, one should follow a proactive approach to fight telecom frauds. There are some golden countermeasures MNOs and MVNOs should always follow telecom fraud prevention. You can also read our post on SIP/VoIP Fraud Attacks

Here you go:

Password Protection

Always make sure that your software systems are protected with strong passwords, preferably a combination of alphanumeric characters. Also, it is important to change passwords periodically.

Monitoring PBX Systems

The most appropriate time for attackers to execute their attacks is after business hours, on weekends, and on holidays. Thus during these times, it becomes more important to monitor PBX systems for any unusual activities.

Clear the Clutter

Often we tend to keep old files in our systems that are of no use. But it is crucial to clear out all the junk files and folders from the system and deactivate unused features such as extensions.

Validate & Authenticate

For a business, it is critical to cross-check and validate the details of its subscribers so as to filter out the fake ones. Also, applying 2 factor or multi-factor authentication is also an additional step towards ensuring security.

Keep an Eye on Expenditures

By doing a smart analysis of how much expenditure typically happens in a month, a business can keep a watch on any fraudulent activity. Many companies don’t do this, but tracking your expenses can help deter telecom scammers.

Use Security Software

Security software plays a crucial role in covering all grounds when it comes to security. Using intelligent security software like REVE Session Border Controller is a wise idea to keep telecom attacks at bay. REVE SBC is a Carrier-grade Cloud SBC that safeguards software switches from various types of attacks including DoS i.e. Denial of Service Attacks. It also includes intelligent firewall and state-of-the-art encryption techniques to protect a business from theft of service. Learn more about session border controller vendors.

Wish to learn more about Telecom Fraud Prevention? Just get in touch with our team to get the best security solutions.

Contact for Free Demo

Read Also

An Overview of Session Border Controller

How to Prevent Spoofed Robocalls with STIR/SHAKEN

Note- This post has been updated with the latest information on 21-04-2023.

The post Telecom Fraud Management: How to Identify and Prevent Fraud in Real Time? appeared first on Revesoft Blog.

Understanding VoIP Communication Networks

Undoubtedly, VoIP communication networks have dramatically transformed the way people connect, communicate, and conduct business. Eliminating the need for those traditional tele[phpone lines, VoIP enables voice and multimedia communication to happen over the internet cloud. It is a ground-breaking innovation that is not only cost-friendly and versatile but also efficient and effective. VoIP communication offers crystal clear voice quality, flawless video conferencing, and much more along with the ability to connect from virtually anywhere with an internet-enabled device. Below mentioned are some pointers for you to quickly take a grasp of VoIP technology:

1. VoIP technology enables voice communication over the internet rather than traditional phone lines by converting voice signals into data packets over IP networks
2. This technology makes use of codecs to compress and decompress audio signals for efficient transmission
3. Internet connectivity and bandwidth are two crucial components of VoIP
4. Effective security measures are required to protect VoIP networks from unauthorized access and cyber threats

How do SBCs Secure a VoIP Communication Network?

Now, that we are clear with the understanding of VoIP networks, the next move is to understand the role of VoIP Session Border Controllers in the security of VoIP networks. Let’s take a look:

Prevention from DDoS Attacks

When it comes to security features of an SBC, Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) protection holds prime importance. An SBC is placed at the edge of your communication network, which is connected to public networks resulting in higher exposure to DDoS attacks.

Attackers try to spoof the source addresses of the target to send requests to a Server Host (i.e. Reflector), that generates a reply toward the target victim which is much bigger than the request message, resulting in a large flood of traffic for the attack. Mentioning DDoS attacks, you should note that attackers use small packet sizes to remain undetected. A VoIP SBC accepts media packets only if they agree to a session negotiated via SIP/SDP signaling.

Quality of Service (QoS) Management

VoIP Session Border Controllers play an important role in ensuring the Quality of service management for communication networks. SBCs implement different types of techniques to prioritize and optimize traffic. With proper monitoring and regulation of the flow of voice and multimedia data, SBCs prevent congestion in the network and maintain seamless and smooth communication. Moreover, SBCs employ QoS policies that prioritize traffic to maintain QoS for critical applications. By providing Bandwidth Management and Call Admission Control policies, Session Border Controllers deliver an overall superior communication experience.

Traffic Policing

With a VoIP Session Border Controller deployed in your network, you can frame policies to receive calls only from your preferred list of users and reject them from the unauthorized user list. Traffic Policing identifies malicious attempts by attackers to flood the network. SBCs enforce traffic rules and regulations to monitor, validate and filter incoming calls. Whenever a call is instead by a user, SBC first validates the credentials and permissions of the user. In other words, it matches the user’s information with the list of authorized users. If it matches then it allows the user to proceed and connect, however, if it does not matches, then SBC denies access to it, thus preventing potential attacks and unauthorized access. 

Topology Hiding with B2BUA

By performing the role of a back-to-back user agent (B2BUA), a VoIP Session Border Controller secures a core SIP network and application servers. It is an essential security feature that safeguards the internal network topology of a VoIP system from external threats and maintains the integrity of the network. 

B2BUA is a system in which SIP calls are managed by a logical or virtual proxy set up for the call. With the help of B2BU, all signal and media traffic passes through the SBC hiding the topology, or architecture, of the network. This prevents the display of private IP addresses of servers making them less vulnerable to attack. With this, it prevents the attackers from gaining internal insights such as IP addresses, server locations, and other sensitive information that can be exploited. 

Media and Signaling Encryption

An SBC is responsible for taking care of various types of media traffic along with processing signaling messages. In the process, SBC plays a dual role in securing the media flows along with the application of transcoding where servers and clients do not have a common codec. 

Encryption and Decryption

Encryption is applied by an SBC to both the signaling session initiation protocol (SIP), and media (voice, video, IM, and so on).

A well-structured encryption system means that malicious agents can’t snoop on VoIP calls, media transfers, and other SIP-based communications. Here’s how encryption works:

1. A VoIP call is initiated. The Session Border Controller intercepts the call signal and media traffic.
2. Now, Encryption algorithms are applied by SBCs for converting voice and data packets into encoded form, making them unreadable and secure.
3. Then the encrypted packets are transmitted over the IP network, thus protecting the call from potential threats.

The Decryption Process happens like this:

1. The destination SBC performs decryption using cryptographic keys upon receiving the encrypted packets.
2. The packets which are decrypted in the previous step are then reassembled and converted back to their original format.
3. The decrypted media and signaling are then forwarded by the SBC to an appropriate destination.

SIP Protocol Validation

It is another important process of the SBCs that ensures the integrity of VoIP communications within a network. Here’s how it works:

1. As the SIP Signaling messages traverse the SBC, it analyzes and validates the contents of the message.
2. The SBC then examines the syntax and format with that of the SIP standards. It checks the headers, files, and the overall structure of the message.
3. SBC also checks if the message complies with the relevant SIP version and specifications
4. Then the SIP message is assessed for potential security vulnerabilities such as header manipulation, tampering, spoofing, etc.
5. SBC then performs session control and routing to ensure that calls are routed to the right destinations required resources are available for sessions to happen
6. It then converts SIP URIs to IP addresses and vice versa thus enabling seamless communication
7. Then the network is evaluated for accommodating additional calls which is the Call Admission Control Process

Fraud Detection and Prevention

There are various ways in which SBCs detect and prevent fraud such as:

• SBCs perform Fraud Pattern recognition by continuously monitoring call patterns and usage behavior to detect any suspicious activities. It can be in the form of unusual call volumes and frequent call attempts.
• By implementing rate limiting, SBCs control call volumes and prevent call flooding that can lead to toll fraud attacks. This way SBCs protect against fraudulent activities.
• SBCs employ Intelligent call Blocking techniques based on some predefined criteria or rules to block calls. This is particularly helpful in the exploitation of premium rate numbers that lead to financial losses.

The Benefits of SBC in VoIP Security

Enhanced Network Security

Amongst the various benefits offered by SBCs, this is the primary one. Deploying a SBC in VoIP communication is just like hiring a gatekeeper. It protects the VoIP network from external threats which could be in the form of DoS attacks, eavesdropping, etc. VoIP Session Border Controllers enforce strict access control mechanisms that only allow authorized users inside the network and prevent unauthorized intrusions. By performing deep packet inspection, and monitoring the incoming and outgoing network traffic, SBCs mitigate potential security threats. With all these actions, the overall security of the VoIP network gets fortified. 

Smooth Communication Experience

The incorporation of SBCs in the VoIP communication architecture ensures a seamless communication experience for the users. Session Border Controllers have the ability to manage Quality of Service i.e. QoS by prioritizing voice traffic, minimizing latency and packet loss. Through this SBCs deliver high call quality i.e. clear and uninterrupted voice calls in each and every session even when network traffic is at its peak. Moreover, the transcoding functionality of VoIP Session Border Controllers ensures that different audio codecs used by different devices making voice calls remain compatible with each other. This means that users can enjoy communicating effortlessly no matter the equipment they are using. Therefore, by optimizing the network performance, Session Border Controllers assure a superior communication experience for both businesses and end-users. 

Regulatory Compliance

In today’s digital landscape, businesses using VoIP communication cannot escape the critical aspect of regulatory compliance. The role of SBCs in allowing businesses and organizations to adhere to relevant industry regulations and data protection laws is quite significant. SBCs enforce encryption of voice and multimedia which ensures that sensitive information is safe from unauthorized access. Here are some of the key aspects of regulatory compliance in SBCs: 

1. Data Privacy: The data handled and managed by SBCs is sensitive. By complying with data privacy regulations, SBCs ensure that sensitive user data is collected, processed, and stored in a secure and lawful way.
2. Call Recording Compliance: Recording of calls is subjective to certain regulations. SBCs must provide the option to obtain consent from users for call recording and the features for secure recording and storage of calls.
3. Emergency Services (E911): SBCs must adhere to regulations governing emergency services. Service providers must ensure that 911 calls are correctly routed to appropriate emergency call centers.
4. Interoperability Standards: For interoperability to happen smoothly between various devices and service providers, SBCs should comply with IETF i.e. Internet Engineering Task Force and SIP Forum Standards.
5. Quality of Service (QoS): It is important to prioritize voice traffic and maintain high-quality call connections by employing QoS standards.
6. Call Routing: SBCs must adhere to call routing regulations such as number portability, and dialing plans, especially in case of international calls.
7. Emergency Call Bypass: This is a critical mechanism to be implemented by SBCs in certain regions. It is to ensure that emergency calls are not blocked or delayed in situations of network congestion or outages.
8. Fraud Prevention: SBCs must comply with regulatory measures that help in detecting and preventing fraudulent activities such as robocalls and toll fraud.

Flexibility and Scalability

The flexibility and scalability offered by VoIP session border controllers for VoIP networks are simply unprecedented. SBCs are adaptable to various VoIP deployments. So whether it is about integrating into existing communication infrastructure, or supporting different protocols and codecs, they fit in all. Here’s an explanation for better understanding:

1. Protocol Support: Session Border Controllers can support multiple protocols such as SIP, H.323, RTP, and more which enables smooth interoperability.
2. Protocol Conversion: By performing protocol conversion, SBCs ensure smooth communication between networks that use different types of VoIP protocols even in complex communication environments.
3. Session Handling: SBCs have the capability to handle multiple sessions simultaneously thus ensuring smooth and stable communication even during peak traffic hours.
4. Scalability: SBCs are designed to scale easily as the VoIP network grows. Businesses can add additional SBC instances or upgrade hardware resources to accommodate increased call traffic and user demands.
5. Load Balancing: SBCs implement Load Balancing to smoothly distribute call traffic across multiple data centers. This results in enhanced network performance.
6. High Availability (HA): SBCs can be configured in high-availability setups with redundant components and failover capabilities. Such configurations make sure that the communication remains uninterrupted in case of network or hardware failure.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the role of VoIP Session Border Controllers is pivotal in safeguarding VoIP networks from potential threats and vulnerabilities. We have explained in detail the various security features such as encryption, network topology hiding, Call Admission Control, etc. implemented by SBCs to enhance network security. It would be right to say that SBCs are the true ‘Guardians’ of today’s modern communication networks, providing a robust layer of protection to VoIP communication.

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Note- This post has been updated on 31-07-23.

The post How does SBCs Secure a VoIP Communication Network? appeared first on Revesoft Blog.

Why You Need to Upgrade Your SBC?

If you are in process of evaluating your options for upgrading your session border controller, then below mentioned are some points which you can keep in mind. These things will help you in finding a SBC solution that ensures the next generation of high performance applications and communications services.

Real-time Quality of Service 

The traditional SBC approach of highlighting the QoS by generating a call record after the call has taken place and estimating what happened during the session is no longer sufficient. Ensuring that service level quality of service on IP matches or surpasses TDM, requires proactive and real time monitoring of performance as calls and sessions take place. If you are migrating to IP, you need an SBC that can deliver real time QoS on IP with session quality monitored during, not after a call is made.

Advanced Efficiency in Multiservice Environment

With the service environment getting more dynamic and diversified, it becomes imperative to have an infrastructure that can answer the needs of the different IP based service/database infrastructures in the service provider’s network and can manage different services, ideally, with the same infrastructure.

If we look at the traditional systems, there appears inefficiency and a lack of agility to promptly turn out with new services. It is, therefore, vital that when searching for an SBC, it is better to ensure that the Service Management Framework is highly customizable. The advantage of such a framework is that it wipes out the need for individual software development cycle on a service-to-service basis and facilitates the rapid deployment of new services like WebRTC.

In-depth Session Analysis for Enhanced User Experience

Gone are the days when SBCs with basic analytics features for session quality would suffice. Modern SBCs must enable real quality of experience for which they must offer deeper analysis. In order to ensure that the end user is getting a satisfactory service, SBCs must perform deeper analysis of the session packet for voice quality. Simply looking at the packet statistics and jitter loss for quality of service estimation is not going to work anymore.

Simplifying SLA Management

Maintenance of SLAs is a tough job for operators as they need to perform monitoring and routing functions. SBCs with the functionality to enable dynamic QoS based routing can be of great use as they can simplify the SLA management for the operator by automating the whole process. Also, by using a GUI i.e. graphic user interface, SLAs can be programmed into the SBCs. This is useful for monitoring and alerting purposes. In order to ensure that SLAs are maintained at the desired level, the real-time QoS based analytics are collected and fed back into this dynamic routing analysis. With this, the overall SLA management process gets simplified to a great extent.

Alleviating Signaling Issues

The advancements in LTE deployments and the ever growing complexity of signaling simply indicates the growing inefficiencies of the networks. LTE to LTE calling in IP poses a number of challenges when terminating off-net to a non-VoLTE/non-IMS NGN SIP network. SBCs have the capability to eliminate this complexity as they have a built-in Signaling Procedure Adaptation Framework. This also allows for the conversion of traffic across diverse networks and service types. Operators can thus shift to homogeneous IP based infrastructures as networks don’t need to be operated in parallel.

The above mentioned points are some of the major growth factors for the IP networks in the coming time. If you’d like to discuss your need to upgrade your SBCs and discuss the areas of SBC deployment with us, we’d be delighted to have a quick chat.

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An Overview of Session Border Controller

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However, SIPs have their own set of challenges in terms of security, interworking and translation. This is where SBCs i.e. Session Border Controllers come into the picture and play their part. If we need to define the very basic role of an SBC, then we can simply say – An SBC performs the function of securing and controlling a session initiation protocol network. The Session Border Controller deployment is done at the network border so that they can do their job effectively.

Areas of SBC Deployment

As we move ahead, we will bring into light the Session Border Controller Deployment into different types of environments and configurations along with the special requirements and challenges associated with each use case.

Unified Communications

Enterprise communications have literally gone out with the old and in with the new. Those fixed line telephones have been replaced with mobile devices. Modern day enterprises want different modes of communication such as voice, video, chat and web based apps – all at one place, irrespective of their location, device and time.

Harnessing the power of Unified Communications, enterprises can significantly improve their productivity, reduce costs and turn over new leaves of customer service. However, a very basic barrier to UC adoption is the lack of interoperability between multi-vendor systems that are used in most of the enterprise networks.

Even SIP could not break down this barrier as it comes with its own set of shortcomings, due to which most of the enterprises are yet to achieve the benefits of an absolute communication and collaboration model.

However, if we put Session Border Controllers in place, things can be done quite easily and we can truly achieve a UC environment. How? Well, SBCs can provide a session management framework for UC and SIP based communications. Thus, integrating enterprise communication comprising PBXs, collaboration tools, IP based devices, etc.

Further, when moving more services and applications towards the cloud, the SBC session based framework can unify cloud with the on-premise based communications leading to a rich and user-friendly UC experience.

Contact Center

Contact Centers are the heart of most of the businesses. This is because everything is customer oriented and achieving high quality customer service is essential for success. We see that modern day contact centers are not just about agents taking voice calls from customers, but managing a full-fledged contact center where emails, voice calls, text messages, chats, video calls, etc., are being handled simultaneously. With so much on their part, efficiency of the contact center along with quality of service comes out to be a crucial part. Now let’s understand how SBCs can add values to these areas.

Call Recording

Call recordings are a popular way used by companies for quality and training purposes. In many countries, it is mandatory to record calls for consumer protection and other legal reasons. In most of the communication networks, call recording is done by consuming an extra data port on a switch. This port replicates the call data and sends it to the recording port. However, in many instances, this process simply does not work well.

A session Border Controller can do the job of replicating the SIP session and sending it to the recording system without consuming an extra port. This is a more reliable way of data transfer and also generates availability of more ports where more customer calls can be taken. Some SBCs can even record the calls which be accessed by playing from the web itself.

Remote Agents

Remote work or work from home culture is on a rise as it adds more flexibility and scalability to a business. For instance, a retailer can add more remote agents to handle customer calls during holiday season without any added expense. However, configuration of the remote devices is an area of concern here. The need is to get a solution that does not need any configuration yet it shall remain secure. SBC works fantastically in this area by eliminating the need of a virtual private network with IP phones without compromising on the security.

Internal Transfers

Interoffice call transfer i.e. when a call is transferred to a different support agent within the same office can cost higher along with security risks if they happen over the public network. Session Border Controllers simply hit the nail on the head as they have the ability to detect internal transfers and route them through private networks thus saving cost without compromising security.    

Enterprise Connectivity

UC platforms are the modern day platforms used by enterprises for all sorts of communication including telephony, video conferencing, instant messaging, etc. SBCs act as their first line of defense as they provide secure and cost-effective connections to enterprises and branch offices. There are several roles that SBCs play when placed to work in an enterprise, some of the main are as mentioned below:

• Quality of Service (QoS)
• Priority based call routing for emergency calls
• Call recording for legal and business use
• Call Accounting for keeping frauds at bay

SIP Trunking

SIP Trunking is an crucial part of modern day enterprise communication system, but there are some challenges associated with this system which are efficiently addressed by E-SBCs i.e. Enterprise Sessions Border Controllers.

E-SBCs are specially designed to alleviate SIP security, Interoperability and interworking challenges. E-SBCs act as a line of demarcation between the enterprise and service provider network. You can learn more about Importance of a Session Border Controller in SIP Trunking here. 

IMS Networks

IP multimedia subsystems or IMS for short, is a telecommunication standard which controls multimedia services such as video, voice, and data accessing different networks. Many functions performed by SBCs complement IMS functions, which paves the way to deployment of SBCs in IMS networks.

Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF): SBCs have the capability to handle media and signaling data much more efficiently. It does so by integrating the P-CSCF, which is the first point of contact for a user equipment, with A-BGF i.e. Access border Gateway function. Several functionalities including encryption, NAT traversal, user identity privacy, etc are being implemented.

WebRTC

The popularity of WebRTC is known to everyone. There are several cases where SBCs play a critical role in WebRTC technology:

WebRTC applications are browser based, and thus application data will transmit across the internet, there are high chances of cyber attack on the server. Suppose a customer support call is initiated from a WebRTC enabled web page so if an SBC sits in between the WebRTC application Server and SIP server of the contact center at the enterprise, then the server will remain secure from any type of attacks.

Secure VoIP Calls

SBCs can secure VoIP calls that happen between a WebRTC enabled web page and a VoIP phone. Besides security, SBCs can also provide transcoding between different codecs of WebRTC and telephony protocols.

PSTN Phone Calls

SBCs work equally well for calls that happen between a webRTC enabled web page and a landline phone. It also supports transcoding and interworking for such calls.

Video Support

SBCs are capable of providing transcoding between video conference codecs when a video call is happening between a webRTC enabled web page and a non-web RTC enabled IP phone. It also supports protocol interworking for video media transfer. It also looks into QoS and Policy Control for providing network priority to real time media data.

By now, you must have gained sufficient knowledge about SBC deployment areas, we will be coming up with more useful information about SBCs in our future posts. 

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