And IDC predicts that the majority will continue using dial-up modems until at least 2004. By year-end, the new V.92 modems will be on the market. V.92 reduces connection time, speeds uploads and supports call waiting. This will reduce long distance charges for telecommuters and allow them to use the same line for incoming voice calls. V.92 will be a big temptation to continue using dial-up modems as portals into many companies' LANs.
Modems also continue to be one of the biggest computer security hazards.
According to InformationWeek Research's recent global security survey, only 28 percent of companies say they try to secure their modems against unauthorized dial-ins. A bad actor may have set up a program that causes a modem to answer incoming calls at certain brief times. Or your problem might be an employee who whips out an external modem to surf porn. So let's say a company is spending a huge amount of money to eradicate unauthorized dial-in modems. This little-known but widespread threat is the focus of this article.