Security and Compliance Considerations for Cloud Contact Centers: Protecting Your Customers' Data – UniVoIP

Data security should be a top priority when choosing a cloud contact center solution for your business. Experts predict the total cost of cybercrime will reach $8 trillion this year.¹ And considering 77% of consumers are willing to provide personal information for a better service experience,² ensuring your contact center has the tools needed to keep this data safe is critical.

Cloud contact centers offer businesses many advantages, including increased scalability, cost savings, customer satisfaction, and flexibility. However, with the convenience of cloud technology comes new security and compliance challenges to consider.

In this blog, we discuss compliance and data security considerations when choosing a solution, top cloud contact center best practices for security, and how to find the right cloud provider.

Regulatory Compliance for Cloud Contact Centers

Cloud contact centers must meet several regulatory compliance requirements that aim to maintain the privacy and security of customer data. Failure to comply with regulations can result in severe consequences for your business, such as:

• Fines and Penalties – Governing bodies can impose significant fines and penalties on cloud contact centers that fail to comply with regulations. Depending on the severity of the violation, fines can cost anywhere from thousands to millions of dollars.
• Legal Action – Contact centers that violate regulations may face legal action from regulators, customers, or other affected parties. This can result in costly litigation, damages, and reputational damage.
• Loss of Customer Trust – Non-compliance can erode customer trust and damage a contact center’s reputation. Customers may be less likely to do business with a company that has a history of non-compliance, which can harm the bottom line.
• Operational Disruption – Disruption to a cloud contact center’s operations, such as temporary shutdowns or operational restrictions, may occur as a result of non-compliance. This can impact the company’s ability to provide services to customers, resulting in lost revenue and customer trust.

[inline graphic: 77% of consumers believe providing personal information will result in better service.]

Many companies aren’t aware of the compliance requirements surrounding how their contact center handles sensitive data. Avoid accidental non-compliance by staying up-to-date on the regulations your business must comply with. Some regulations that might apply to your cloud contact center include:

Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA)

The TCPA is a federal law regulating telemarketing calls and other unsolicited phone calls. Under the TCPA, cloud contact centers are required to obtain consent from consumers before making unsolicited calls or sending text messages to their phone numbers. The law also requires companies to honor a consumer’s request to opt-out of receiving further calls or messages.

STIR/SHAKEN

STIR/SHAKEN is an FCC framework of standards designed to combat illegal caller ID spoofing, a technique scammers use to make it look like their calls are coming from legitimate businesses or government agencies. Contact centers are required to implement STIR/SHAKEN protocols to the Internet Protocol (IP) portions of their networks, per FCC rules.

Reassigned Number Database (RND)

The RND was created in response to concerns that companies were calling or texting numbers that had been reassigned to other people, resulting in complaints and regulatory violations. Companies can use the database to determine if a phone number has been reassigned and avoid calling customers who don’t want to receive calls.

RAY BAUM’s Act and Kari’s Law

RAY BAUM’s Act and Kari’s Law are two pieces of legislation aimed at improving emergency communications in the U.S. RAY BAUM’s Act requires contact centers to provide a “dispatchable location,” such as a building number or floor level, for 911 calls made from indoor locations. Kari’s Law requires all multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) to allow users to dial 911 without having to use a prefix or other code to reach an outside line first.

Data Security for Cloud Contact Centers

Cloud contact centers face a wide range of security threats that can compromise customer data and bring operations to a halt. Here are some common cyber security threats to be aware of:

• Phishing Attacks – Phishing attacks rose by 61% in 2022.³ Cyber criminals use this type of attack to trick employees into sharing privileged information or downloading malware, which can be particularly dangerous in cloud contact centers as attackers may gain access to customer data.
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks – More than 6 million DDoS attacks took place last year.³ These attacks overload a system with traffic, making it unavailable to users. In cloud contact centers, DDoS attacks can disrupt business operations and prevent customers from accessing services.
• Malware and Ransomware – Malware and ransomware are types of malicious software hackers use to infect a network. Malware is often used to damage a company’s systems or steal data, while ransomware encrypts files to make them inaccessible until a ransom is paid.
• Insider Threats – Over 34% of organizations are affected by insider threats each year.⁴ Insider threats are employees or trusted third parties who compromise data security, intentionally or by accident. They can be difficult to detect and resolve, especially in cloud contact centers where employees may have remote access to data.

Best Practices for Ensuring Cloud Contact Center Security

Follow the cloud contact center best practices below to ensure your customers’ sensitive information stays protected.

1. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a layer of network security by requiring users to provide more than one form of authentication, such as a password and a security token. By requiring employees and third-party vendors to use MFA when accessing contact center applications and systems, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized users breaching your network.

2. Monitor Cloud Access

Identity and access management (IAM) tools can help your IT teams monitor who has access to cloud contact center systems and applications. Additionally, least-privilege access policies can be deployed to limit access to only the users who need it.

3. Encrypt Sensitive Data

Data encryption converts a company’s data into a coded message that can only be read by someone with the right key or password. Implementing encryption protocols can help your cloud contact center protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, interception, or theft.

4. Regularly Perform Security Audits

By performing security audits, you can identify potential vulnerabilities and implement measures to mitigate them – before hackers find them. Be sure to scan for malware and other unauthorized software regularly, and keep your technology and critical components up-to-date with the latest security patches.

5. Train Employees on Best Practices

Training employees and informing them of contact center security best practices is critical, especially considering 82% of breaches involve a human factor.⁵ Make sure your team is aware of cyber security best practices, such as how to create strong passwords, report suspicious activity, and avoid phishing scams.

UniVoIP: Your Partner for Scalable, Secure Cloud Contact Center Solutions

One of the simplest ways to protect your business is to work with a cloud contact center provider that takes data security seriously. The right provider can offer a secure infrastructure with integrated security tools like firewalls or access controls, data backup, and disaster recovery solutions. Plus, they can leverage their expertise to help your contact center meet and maintain regulatory compliance.

UniVoIP’s cloud contact center solutions are designed to protect customer data. We use end-to-end data security protocols, voice encryption, and enterprise-level firewalls to safeguard your network. Our platform is also equipped with advanced management tools that provide a complete view of your contact center activities, so you can have peace of mind knowing your data is always secure.

Contact UniVoIP today to learn more about how our omnichannel cloud contact center solutions can help your business deliver a seamless and secure customer experience.

Sources:

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckbrooks/2023/03/05/cybersecurity-trends–statistics-for-2023-more-treachery-and-risk-ahead-as-attack-surface-and-hacker-capabilities-grow
2. https://website-assets-fw.freshworks.com/attachments/ckset8cvb016wehfz1sz02eyz-deconstructing-delight-freshworks.pdf
3. https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/34-Cybersecurity-Statistics-to-Lose-Sleep-Over-in-2020
4. https://techjury.net/blog/insider-threat-statistics
5. https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/