It is recognized that most mobile users are not particularly concerned about, or have any great need for, Voicemail security. However, it is important that you fully understand the security risks associated with the use of Voicemail services, how you could be exposed to those risks and what you can do to protect yourselves. The below advice to all customers and the necessary enablers is in place and on offer for those mobile users that wish to enhance their protection levels. In that regard, the guidance that follows may be useful and informative for our subscribers.
Users can choose a PIN that is longer than 4 digits. The PIN should not be one that can be easily guessed. When choosing a PIN the following should be avoided:
Repeated numbers (e.g. 1111)
Sequential numbers (e.g. 2345)
Patterns related to the keypad on mobile devices (e.g. 2580)
Dates of birth (e.g. 2812 for the 28th of December or 1279 for December 1979) as these can often be found on social networking or other Internet sites.
PINs that are used for other purposes such as banking.
Using part of your phone number
Call Voicemail number 133 from your Vodacom mobile and choose option two (settings), then option four to set security level:
Standard (default)- user will need to enter PIN if they are not accessing voicemail from own devices. To be on this option use default settings or select deactivate PIN.
High Security- user will be required PIN every time accessing voicemail, even when from own device. To be on this option you need to select activate PIN.
Users that are concerned about protecting sensitive information that may be contained in messages left in their Voicemail should regularly change their PIN as this represents good security practice. Quite aside from routine PIN changes, mobile users should immediately change their Voicemail PIN if they believe it may have been observed or compromised by a third party in any way. This can be done by calling the voicemail 133 and following the voice prompts to change the PIN.
If somebody unauthorized has listened to your Voicemail messages that person has the option to delete or keep the messages. If messages are retained the Voicemail service will generally indicate that the mobile user has “one saved message” rather than “one new message”. If a mobile user hears the first announcement, followed by a message that it has heard for the first time this could indicate mailbox compromise. Consequently, users should listen carefully and take note of whether messages they are hearing for the first time are classified as new or old/saved.
As has been highlighted above, Voicemail systems can be compromised so anybody prompted to leave a Voicemail message for a mobile user should exercise caution in terms of the contents of the message to be left. Those leaving messages should refrain from leaving sensitive information in Voicemail messages.
Users should always be conscious of where they are and who may be listening in the vicinity when they make or receive telephone calls, be they to mobile or other telephone users. Calls made from, or received in, public places can be easily overheard and have the potential to disclose much more sensitive information than what could be obtained from a brief Voicemail message.