VoIP Security – In the headlines… again.

I am getting so sick and tired of hearing proprietary advocates abusing the open standards in feeble attempts to shore-up their own commercial position. Screaming about the vulnerabilities of open standards VoIP?, how about we look at the history of proprietary applications, especially in P2P plays. I distinctly remember a certain file sharing application which was comprised mainly of adware and spysware. In the article below, Niklas is once again screaming about the major security issues surrounding open standards VoIP. Well Niklas, I guess we should just abandon those open standards and stick with the proprietary apps because they are so much more secure, like hell they are!

I agree we have some work to do regarding security but the last thing we should do is stick our heads in the sand.

Proprietary vendors are building another IP Communications Tower of Babel, open standards advocates will be those responsible for tearing it down. In open standards we can all work together to solve the issues that arise and design a shared vision that will stand the test of time. Proprietary vendors would have you use 1 application, THEIR application. Sounds a lot like a dictatorship to me. Healthy competition has always been good for the consumer, using the same protocol in competitive software services drives innovation and provides the consumer with far more choices.

Let’s take the gloves off. I would like to see Jeff Pulver present a panel in Boston this year at Fall VON. That panel would be comprised of 3 open standards advocates and 3 [if you can find them] pro-proprietary spokesmen. The topic “Open Standards versus Proprietary Technology, Which Will Prevail and Which will Fail!” Each presenter would have 10 minutes to speak their mind. At the end, 2 from each team are chosen to debate the issues for another 15 minutes. During this time the audience will ask the panel questions and each member will have a chance to respond.

What say you Jeff? Ready to take it to the streets?

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VoIP needs serious security review, say experts
News Story by Matthew Broersma

JUNE 11, 2004 (TECHWORLD.COM) – LONDON — Internet protocol-based voice networks may be the wave of the future, but they will require a whole new approach to security, warned telecoms experts at the VON Europe voice-over IP conference.

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