Do you wanna get PHREAKY with me?

[JMB]

So, our telecoms provider has told us our phone system needs updating at a cost of over a grand, and that we need to do it ASAP because of the mounting threat of phreaking. My question to you all is this: how many of you know of schools that have been phreaked? Is this threat as real as he says, or is it mostly sales patter?

[AngryTechnician]

You typing it just there is probably the first mention I've heard of phreaking for about 10 years.

[TechMonkey]

We got phreaked last year after a new system was put in so having a new system isn't a guarantee to not being had. Infact we were probably safer on our old system as it was so old it didn't have the access to be able to allow it.

 

BBC News - Businesses hit by new cybercrime gives a good overview. Seems no one is really doing anything about it as the end cost ends up on the user. No one could explain how it happened or how to secure against it except to buy a software proxy, which we did.

[GrumbleDook]

You are only susceptible if a) your present system is not set up correctly, b) if access to your present system is open to abuse due to human security failings (similar to lost passwords, etc) or c) there is a known issue with your present system which cannot be fixed (ie the system is no longer supported for security fixes) and needs to be replaced.