Quick Reference Guide

Issue 2 April 1997
49
Feature Operation
Transfer
!
SECURITY ALERT:
Social Engineering — “Social Engineering” is a con game that hackers
frequently use. It is sometimes referred to as “Operator Deceit.” The success
of this con requires gullibility or laxity on the part of the operator or employee,
of which the hacker takes full advantage. For example, hackers call an
employee, claim to have the wrong extension number, and ask to be
transferred back to the operator. To the operator, the call appears to be an
internal call. The hacker then asks for an outside line. Often, because
operators are not trained about toll fraud, they will connect the hacker to an
outside line. Another example of social engineering is when a hacker calls the
operator and pretends to be a telephone maintenance repair person. They
make statements such as: “This is Lucent Technologies testing your lines.
Please transfer me to 900 or 9#,” or “I need to verify your DID number range.”
An untrained operator may provide the requested transfer or information,
giving the hacker more ammunition with which to crack your system.
You can transfer calls to a guest room or to an outside number. Some of the
reasons to transfer a call include the following:
■ A person on an incoming call (from outside the hotel) wants to be
connected to a guest at the hotel.
■ A guest calling the attendant wants to be connected to a guest in another
room.
■ A guest wants to be connected to a number outside the hotel.
■ A person on an incoming call from outside of the hotel wants to be
connected to another number outside the hotel, on another trunk.