VOIP-Bypassing Router OK?

[gshaheen]

I have a VOIP enabled phone system installed at a customers site. They have several VOIP phones at remote workers homes. They had an extra public IP address at the host site, so I installed a 5 port switch between the cable modem and their Router so I could bypass their firewall. I programmed the VOIP gateway card in the PBX with the spare public IP address and connected it directly to the newly installed 5 port switch. It all seems to work fine, but are there any issues I might have created without knowing it? I am not a network engineer (or even close), but I am trying!
By the way, I realize the VOIP gateway is open to the public, but it is not a security threat unless you have the exact model VOIP phone we are using, and a password.

Thanks.

 

[ccmuser]

ya.. the only problem that you already stated the Voip device is outside of your FW.. You may want to consider a VPN solution if you decide to scale out your home office deployments of VOIP

 

[GoTellBigDaddy]

VoIP system outside the Firewall is a BAD idea. It will get exploited.

As suggested the gateway at minimal- needs either to be part of a VPN or you use stateful inspection firewalls for the app- Cisco PIX is a choice but I'm not pitching their or anyone else's wares just to state that it's a solution.

Secure your Gateway. Your IP phone system is in fact vulnerable as it sits and I don't need to have the exact model phone to exploit it. No phone at all. Just your Public IP address and a little knowledge.

So- PLEASE- secure it.