atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Telecom Technician

Hi All,

Can someone tell me if this scenario is possible?

A telecom tech comes on site to the office and installs new internet lines. The internet lines are located in a locked central phone room that houses all of our T1 lines and analog lines (uses for modems, faxes and fire alarm). A few weeks after the internet lines were installed, we were notified by the telecom company's fraud department that someone has been using our analog lines to call Cuba. The lines in question are used for the fire alarm and for modems so no phones are hooked up to them and also the calls were being made on a weekend. Our building needs entry cards and I have verified noone entered the building on the day the lines were used to call Cuba. Also, as mentioned, the room is locked with very limited access to only a few. Is it possible for a telecom technician, while installing the internet line, to write down the circuit number to the analog lines then a few weeks later, go out to the CO, hook up his butt set to that circuit and make the calls?

Again thanks for the reply.

I doubt it, If he was in the CO, he could choose any line. Do the computers tied to the modems have Spyware and Antivirus protection? Is there outside access to your phone lines, pedestals, hand / manholes? You should disable international dialing on all of the POTS lines and only have local / toll free dialing on the F/A dialer if possible.

The modem lines are not being used right now and have nothing hooked up to them. The fire alarm lines are being used and are hooked up to the fire alarm panel. There is no outside access to our phone room, its just a room in the basement with one door, no windows, and no crawl space. I guess it true he can pick any line at the CO but he might have thought of us as an easy target since we have so many POTS line and maybe thought we dont check on the usage.

I seriously doubt that it was a telecom tech. It is very possible that your lines appear on other terminals in other buildings besides the one in your building and those probably are not as secure.

The first thing I would do is have the telco put restrictions on thise lines. There is certainly no need for LD or the necessity to allow anything but local calling and 800 numbers which are what the alarm dialers use. Then I would confront them with the information you just provided and refuse to pay if that is what they are demanding. I would request that they secure their equipment since if what you are saying about security in your building is true the breach is elsewhere.

-Hal

Go to the demarc and physically check to see if there is anything connected. Report that the lines have nothing connected, to the fraud department, and have them check the lines for any other calls and connected devices. If there are any US calls, Google the number. Is it just one of the lines or several? Have the phone company turn off the international dialing NOW.

like was said above, the lines could appear in other buildings, i have had pairs on my demarc that have been dark for years all of a sudden talk to me

I agree with restricting the lines. I doubt if those cable pairs just appear in the locked room. They could make appears in several terminals along the path that the cable travels from the C.O. to your building. It is possible that the local telecom did some line and station transfers (rewires) and did not remove a left on CT (service wire). If that was the case your dialtone could end up on a jack in a house or business where it is not supposed to be. I was able to get some similar charges dropped for a friend by telling her to ask the local telecom to check her cable pair for a left on loop.

Yes, that's very true. Worse than the pair appearing at other locations it may even be on a jack on somebodies wall.

-Hal

I like everybody else here think there’s probably a location where the pairs for your analog lines are assessable somewhere else… Outdoor demarc, pedestal, manhole etc…

The other thing to keep in mind about the “telecom tech” if he has full access to a C.O. that would mean he’s a telephone company employee. As a telephone company employee he would have the ability to use an access code, special line, or dial around number that would allow for free long distance calls… Hey ya’ll don’t think we charge ourselves long distance charges do ya?

What happens if you call those numbers? Do they hit any type of auto attendant which would let those lines get hacked remotely.