Sipera Intros 510

BOSTON -- Sipera Systems, the leader in pure security for VoIP, mobile and multimedia communications, today debuted the Sipera IPCS 510, a comprehensive, real-time security system to protect IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) networks. The new product protects subscribers and core infrastructure against attacks, misuse and service abuse, such as voice spam and denial of service (DoS) attacks, by intelligently monitoring signaling and media traffic to detect and prevent anomalous behavior. Sipera is demonstrating the Sipera IPCS solution in Booth #146 during the Fall 2006 VON Conference here this week.

The world’s wireless operators are implementing two technologies for access to new mobile services -- IMS and UMA. However, by opening the traditionally closed telephony networks to the Internet, operators face the possibility of hacker attacks, despite SIM authentication and IPSec/TLS encryption. Sipera’s VIPER Labs has discovered thousands of potential threats against IMS and UMA networks over the past two years.

While many of these application-layer threats target operator infrastructures, causing the disruption of services and network downtime, the more damaging threats could be directed toward the subscribers. These attacks include stealth DoS, which could mean a constantly ringing phone or the hijacking of a handset to make unintended calls, which would prove costly for the subscriber or drain the battery. Subscribers could also become the target of voice spam, which are unsolicited bulk messages broadcast over the IMS network that are far more annoying than email spam.

The Sipera IPCS 510 augments existing firewalls, packet data gateways (PDGs) and security gateways (SGWs) by invisibly monitoring and verifying application-layer traffic to prevent attacks directed at the core network elements and subscribers. The Sipera IPCS 510 employs comprehensive protection techniques, including the ability to learn individual user behavior, to ensure that legitimate traffic passes through, while application-layer threats are blocked in real time. Sipera IPCS products also offer operators the capability to monitor and capture specific message traces for online, real-time troubleshooting.

“Wireless operators are looking to use IMS and UMA technologies to roll-out new IP communications applications to millions of subscribers. However, these networks are vulnerable to hacker and zombie attacks. At the same time, voice spam is becoming an ever more annoying problem,” said Seshu Madhavapeddy, Sipera president and CEO. “Encryption and authentication are a start, but protecting IMS services and UMA networks and subscribers requires sophisticated application-level security.”

Sipera Systems