Is there something sinister about caller id spoofing

Spoofing refers to the ability to disguise the originating caller identification number when placing a telephone call. The calling party may select an alias or dummy number to appear on the called party telephone display. Proponents of this technology laud its uses for law enforcement and private investigators. They claim the technology protects agents from being discovered in undercover operations. Agents can freely make pretext calls to criminal elements by using caller ID spoofing. A pretext call is one that allows law enforcement to solicit information over the telephone by representing themselves as someone else. Caller ID spoofing is now marketed by a number of websites to any business or individual who wishes to subscribe to the service. Individuals can hide or mask the call origin with whatever number they desire. This guarantees anonymity. Collection agencies or government tax agencies often find it difficult to reach defaulters. This service could help these companies contact an individual using call screening. Critics of the caller ID spoofing claim that using this VoIP phone service makes it easy for scam artists to make it appear that they are calling from another phone number. Jokesters could masquerade their caller ID as The Oval Office, Ed McMahon or Paris Hilton. Hackers and con artists could utilize spoofing to break into unsecured voice mail boxes that rely on caller identification for authentication. For example, Secure Science Corporation discovered that hackers could use caller ID spoofing to break into the voice mailboxes of over 15 million subscribers of wireless service provider T-Mobile. The company scrambled to add an optional pin code authentication to thwart tampering. Criminal elements could utilize caller ID spoofing to reverse the tables on law enforcement, harass victims and break into interactive voice response systems that use the caller’s phone number as authentication. A child molester could contact a home and disguise number as a parent’s work number. An alarm company or emergency response dispatch could be contacted and reassured of false alarm by a burglar breaking into a premise. Methods and kits on how to emulate and display spoofed caller ID messages are now available on the Internet. Anyone with a general understanding of the concept and a compatible modem can construct a device that will provide caller ID spoofing. In the end, caller ID spoofing, like any other technology does have some merit especially for law enforcement. However this technology is very easy to use unethically and perhaps criminally. The lesson here is don’t trust caller id display. If you are unsure of the caller id information of a suspicious caller, take the number down, return the call or alert authorities.

Save a bundle when you self bundle

Cable and telephone companies, both large and small have been offering discounted bundled services for years. Bundled local and long distance, or cable TV and Internet have saved consumers thousands on elective utilities. With the outbreak of new broadband Internet technologies, emerges a new market for bundled services. You may have noticed your local cable company offering telephone service, and your telephone company offering satellite TV services in their bundled packages. These bundled services do in fact provide consumers a reduction in monthly service cost, and the big pitch is you get it all on one bill, and all from the same company. To the average consumer this looks to be the "beat all to end all" deal in bundled services. The frugal know better. Satellite TV and VoIP are both Independent services one can find and use outside the restrictions of your local cable or telephone companies bundled prices. When you start to figure in your own choice of broadband Internet it takes on a different light. There are many satellite TV, VoIP, and broadband Internet companies to choose from and you do not have to be bound by the rates of your local providers anymore. Do the research and you'll find you could be saving a pretty good chunk each month by bundling your own services. Sure, you won't get it all on one bill, but if that's what you want, you are likely over paying for those services. You're really paying for the convenience of having everything on one bill. Shave ten or fifteen dollars off each service, and it really starts to add up. Saving twenty five or thirty dollars a month might not sound like much, but try multiplying that figure by twelve months. What you'll save in a year paints a whole new picture and is probably worth taking 5 extra minutes each month to pay a couple bills separately. That's an hour a year for those with their calculators out. Why let the local cable or telephone companies decide what features you get with your bundle ? You're paying for it. You should choose exactly what you want, and what works best for you. When you self bundle your elective utilities you'll not only save a few dollars, but get what you want too.

What is a vlan

A Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) is a group of hosts that feature a like set of requirements and can communicate as though they were all connected via the same wires. However, unlike a traditional LAN, a VLAN is not necessarily all in the same place, and the hosts involved in the network can be located practically anywhere. All VLANs have the exact same attributes as a traditional physical local area network, though they can be configured via software instead of having to actually relocate the hosts. Many VLANs are designed as replacements to the services that are traditionally provided by routers on physical LANs. VLANs are able to tackle issues like network management, security, and scalability with ease. VLANs are known as Layer 2, or Data Link layer, constructs which transfer data between network nodes. Because they are Layer 2 constructs, they can interface with Layer 3 IP subnets with a one to one relationship. How are VLANs designed? The IEEE assigned IEEE 802.1Q as the protocol by which to configure virtual LANs. IEEE 802.1Q provides for a header with a 2-byte protocol identifier and another 2-byte tag control information. These are known as TPID and TCI, respectively. The TPID is fixed at 0x8100 while the TCI contains information pertaining to the user priority, canonical format indicator, and VLAN identifier. What are the two types of VLAN memberships? VLAN membership can be assigned in one of two ways. Static or Dynamic. A Static VLAN is also known as a port based VLAN. These types of VLANs are created by assigning specific ports to a VLAN. As new devices enter into the VLAN network, the device assumes a specific port. If end users change ports but require access to the same VLAN, network administrators are required to assign new port to VLAN assignments for the new port. A Dynamic VLAN is designed to be easily configured using software. The most common software for designing dynamic VLANs is CiscoWorks, a program developed by Cisco. A VLAN Management Policy Server (VMPS) must be set up first for a dynamic VLAN. This server will allow the VLAN to automatically switch ports whenever new devices connect to the VLAN. It uses information such as the device’s ports, unique usernames, and MAC addresses to determine whether or not to change ports to fit the needs of the incoming device.