When choosing a new VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) provider for your business phone system, it's important to understand how they manage security. Asking your potential provider to complete a security questionnaire before onboarding helps you assess whether they have the right controls in place to protect your calls, data, and network. This is especially relevant for UK SMEs where phone systems often handle sensitive customer information and business communications.
Why security matters for your VoIP service
VoIP systems connect your calls over the internet rather than traditional phone lines, which introduces specific cyber risks. If a provider's security is weak, your business could face downtime from service interruptions, unauthorised call interception, or even fraud such as toll fraud where attackers make costly calls on your account. Additionally, poor security could lead to breaches of personal data, putting you at risk of non-compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, potentially attracting ICO scrutiny or fines.
For example, a typical UK SME with around 50 staff might rely heavily on VoIP for daily communications with customers and suppliers. If their VoIP provider does not enforce strong authentication, encrypt calls, or monitor for suspicious activity, the business could experience a targeted attack that disrupts phone service for days. This impacts staff productivity, frustrates customers, and harms the company's reputation.
How a good IT partner handles security vetting
A trusted IT partner or managed service provider will insist on a security questionnaire as part of the supplier onboarding process. They use it to verify that the VoIP provider applies industry best practices such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) for admin access, encrypted signalling and media streams (e.g., TLS and SRTP), regular security audits, and robust incident response procedures. They also check compliance with standards like Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001 where applicable.
In practice, this means the IT partner can confidently recommend or manage the VoIP service, knowing it meets your business's security and compliance needs. They can also integrate the VoIP provider's security status into your wider IT risk management and audit readiness efforts.
Practical checklist: What to ask your VoIP provider
- Do you use encryption for call signalling and media? (e.g., TLS, SRTP)
- Is multi-factor authentication required for administrative access?
- How do you monitor and respond to security incidents?
- Are regular security audits or penetration tests performed, and can you share the results or certifications?
- What data protection measures are in place to comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act?
- Do you have a documented business continuity and disaster recovery plan?
- Can you provide references or case studies from similar UK SMEs?
- What access controls and logging do you maintain for your systems?
Simple internal checks to complement your provider's questionnaire
- Review your current VoIP user access lists and remove any unnecessary accounts.
- Ensure your staff use strong, unique passwords and enable MFA where possible.
- Check that call recordings and logs are stored securely and access is restricted.
- Confirm that your network firewall and router settings support secure VoIP traffic and block unauthorised access.
- Test your backup procedures for VoIP configuration and call data to ensure quick recovery if needed.
In summary, having your VoIP provider complete a security questionnaire is a practical step to reduce risks and support compliance. It helps you make an informed choice and protects your business communications from avoidable threats.
If you're unsure how to evaluate VoIP security or integrate it into your overall IT strategy, consider consulting a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can guide you through the technical details, supplier vetting, and ongoing support to keep your phone system secure and reliable.