Covergence, the first company to deliver a unified security and management solution for services based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), announced that WorldxChange Communications has chosen Covergence's Eclipse( solution to secure the subscriber edge of its voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service offering, while equipping it with the ability to grow its subscriber base by offering new services without raising its rates.

JDSU announced that its widely deployed IP network troubleshooting and data analysis platforms, JDSU's DA-3400 and DA-3600A, can now perform VoIP call quality monitoring on high capacity networks. The DA-3400 is able to support 8,000 simultaneous calls and the DA-3600A can support 64,000 calls, establishing them as an industry leader providing extremely accurate and exceptional quality measurements when network load or utilization is at its highest.

Two additional alarm monitoring companies have chosen UHS Systems, Inc. to provide wholesale, Internet Protocol (IP)-based alarm monitoring service to their customers. The contracts make IP-based alarm monitoring more widely available in the United States. Terms of both contracts were undisclosed. UHS Systems offers broadband IP security alarm services, video event verification, live remote video viewing and digital wireless back-up solutions to its customers, and is the American subsidiary of the Australian broadband company UHS Systems Pty Ltd.

Verso Technologies, Inc., a global provider of next generation network solutions, announced a formal partnership with the Georgia Tech Information Security Center. GTISC is a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education with faculty and students from the College of Computing, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and Georgia Tech Research Institute.

Verizon Business, a premier provider of advanced global communications and information technology (IT) solutions, announced that it has added Internet protocol capability to its Verizon Web Center service, enabling businesses to more effectively communicate with customers using both traditional and IP telephony.

Available this month, IP Web Center, a hosted contact center solution, will allow companies to quickly start up or expand their customer communications operations in response to rapidly changing business plans or business continuity requirements.

SecureLogix Corporation announced that its Chief Technology Officer, Mark Collier, will headline a presentation entitled "VOIP Security: Managing Risk" during the VoiceCon Spring 2006 conference and exhibition. The presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, March 8, from 2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The conference will take place March 6-9 at the Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

Top 5 security issues facing WiFi VoIP enterprise deployments that you should read. "It's security 101. If we see practices like this continue as these devices get more popular then the manufacturers will only have themselves to blame when there's a widespread attack," says Paul Stamp. Users will need to protect themselves against these Top 5 security issues, and learn how to guard against from becoming a target.

• Widespread deployment
• Many points of attack
• Targeting phones in public environments
• Rogue access points
• Targeted attacks

Ranch Networks today introduced the RN series of appliances which are the first to integrate security and bandwidth control for VoIP applications. The company's IP telephony network appliances secure, manage and scale VoIP traffic beyond existing firewall technologies. Ranch Networks' appliances separate voice, video, and data traffic into multiple secure zones without having to reconfigure IP addresses. Several patent-pending technologies, allow service providers to deliver VoIP services to enterprises without affecting existing data networks.

Juniper Networks, Inc. announced that 012 Golden Lines, a leading independent Israeli communications service provider, has selected Juniper Networks M-series routing platforms, VF-series session border controllers (SBCs) and integrated security devices for its new VoIP (voice over IP) network. 012 Golden Lines is the first service provider in Israel to be granted a government license to provide broadband-based voice services to customers, and selected a comprehensive Juniper Networks solution to ensure the quality, reliability and security of its voice and data communications services. The network has been installed by Juniper's local partners TNN and Ness Technologies.

Meru Networks, the global leader in wireless VoIP infrastructure, announced the industry's first wireless security solution that provides protection of wireless networks at the Radio Frequency (RF) signal level. The Meru Security Services Module, a software module that works in combination with Meru's complete wireless LAN product portfolio, bring enterprises a new, more advanced level of security for Wireless LANs delivering mission-critical applications.

There are numerous emerging security threats that can challenge the integrity of an IP telephony solution. Security vulnerabilities of a network are exposed before, during and after a system is installed. To help address these challenges for clients, NextiraOne is extending its expertise in voice, data and IP telephony engineering to introduce a full suite of information security consulting services. The services are designed to help clients maintain the integrity, confidentiality, availability and reliability of their converged communications environments.

IPcelerate, Inc., a provider of advanced communications-based software applications, announced today the release of IPStudio version 1.0, the next generation IP Communications Recording solution for business VoIP users. IPStudio allows companies to record and monitor different types of media and data sessions in an organization's IP network. Based upon IPcelerate's proprietary distributed architecture, IPStudio provides a highly scalable and adaptable recording environment for converged IP Networks.

UHS Systems, Inc. announced the launch of its UltraSec broadband network in the United States, providing high-quality security alarm monitoring transport over an encrypted, redundant Internet Protocol (IP) network.

UHS' security alarm services meet the changing needs of home and business owners that use voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone service, allowing them to maintain critical alarm functionality. The UltraSec network provides alarm monitoring companies the capability to send and receive alarm monitoring data and integrated video alarm events over a broadband circuit, eliminating the need for a traditional telephone line.

Research commissioned by Viatel has found that 43% of IT directors still believe that VoIP networks are inherently insecure. This figure rises to over half in the financial services and manufacturing sectors (56%). However, it is significant that despite this continued concern over the security of VoIP, companies aren't being put off adopting the technology with two thirds saying they don't see the perceived security issues as a deterrent. Organisations clearly see the 50% cost savings and advanced functionality of VoIP as significant enough reason to make the switch and are overriding their security fears in favour of cost savings and features. In addition, companies are clearly comfortable with the reliability of VoIP - with two thirds (67%) of those questioned saying they believe that today's IP networks are robust enough to carry voice, rising to an astounding 80% in the financial services sector.

SecurityLab Technologies Inc., provider of enterprise security management products and consulting services, today announced that the company's CTO, Ejovi Nuwere, will speak at the upcoming VON Fall 2005 conference and expo. Nuwere will present the company's recent research into VoIP security flaws and explain how these flaws can be used to attack enterprise networks via VoIP technology and services.

"When it comes to VoIP security it's like 1999," says Nuwere. "Vendors blithely assume that attackers won't want to or won't be able to exploit their products. But as we all now know, if technology harbors a vulnerability it will eventually be exploited. This presentation is meant to serve as a wake up call."

Among the VoIP vulnerabilities Nuwere will discuss in his "How Vulnerable is VoIP?" presentation are those that, if exploited by an attacker, could cause VoIP gateway servers to suffer from Denial of Service attacks or give an attacker full control of the victims VoIP gateway or desktop.