Hackers turn voice mail into a calling card
Have you checked your full voice mail system recently? Hackers are using business voice mail systems to make collect calls without the knowledge or permission of employees or their employer.
Business victims often don't know about the attack until a huge phone bill arrives. Here's how it works.
A hacker calls into a voice mail system and searches for voice mailboxes that still have the default passwords or passwords with easily-guessed combinations.
The hacker uses the password to access the phone system and change the voice mailbox's outgoing greeting to "Yes, operator, I will accept the charges." Next, the hacker places a collect call to the number they have just hacked. The automated operator is tricked into hearing the proper authorization and — presto! — an international call is connected.
