Wet Pluto

Internet telephony is the new buzzword that is making waves on the Internet and among Internet users. With the help of Internet Telephony, users can now contact anyone around the world through the Internet at relatively cheaper rates.

This way of communication is far cheaper than the traditional method of long distance telephone calls and is more effective too.

As with any product of service, Internet telephony also has its drawbacks and disadvantages. One such drawback is related to Spam over internet telephony (SPIT) which is essentially junk mail in voice mail form send to internet telephony users. Computer security experts working at AT&T labs coined the term and pointed out that, like its close relative Spam, SPIT takes advantage of technology’s ability to quickly automate routine tasks at a negligible cost.

Spammers’ use SPIT to send thousands of unsolicited voice mails with the press of a button. Telemarketers also find this cheaper than employing fulltime human operators working in a call center. SPIT is more annoying than email Spam for the recipient as it might lead to a situation where the recipient is forced to unplug the phone system. This can damage the recipient’s business in terms of missed calls and lost clientele.

SPIT can also be used to malign a person or mar the reputation of a company. A hacker can easily take control of Internet telephony conversations and add derogatory words or phrases that are audible only to the listener. These voice mails are fabricated to sound like calls made by the apparent caller, and whose authenticity is difficult to invalidate even with FBI-grade voiceprint analysis equipment.

In spite of these drawbacks, Internet telephony usage has increased over the years. This has been made possible with the use software programs that encrypt Internet telephony conversations and protect servers and other networking hardware running on windows operating systems from SPIT.