Software:3CX Phone System

From HandWiki
Short description: 3CX Phone System
3CX
Logo3CX.pdf
Developer(s)3CX
Stable release
Version 18 Update 8 / September 2023 (September 2023)
Written inC++ and .NET
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, Linux, macOS, IOS, Android
TypeVoice over Internet Protocol
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.3cx.com

The 3CX Phone System is the software-based private branch exchange (PBX) phone system developed and marketed by the company, 3CX. The 3CX Phone System is based on the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) standard and enables extensions to make calls via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services on premises, in the cloud, or via a cloud service owned and operated by the 3CX company. The 3CX Phone System is available for Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi[1] [lower-alpha 1] and supports standard SIP soft/hard phones, VoIP services, faxing, voice and web meetings, as well as traditional PSTN phone lines.

Nick Galea is the CEO and Founder of 3CX. He manages the company alongside key executives: Michael Borg as CTO, Natassia Allery as Global Sales & Support Director, and Ruth Elizabeth Abbott as Operations Director.

History

The product was developed by 3CX, an international VoIP IP PBX software development technology company as an open-standards, software-based PBX. First published as a free IP PBX product in 2006, the product was intended to provide a VoIP product for use in a Microsoft Windows environment.[3]

The first commercial edition of the product was launched in 2007. Reviews of the product have noted its easy configuration, management, and hardware compatibility.[4][5][6][7] Smith on VoIP commented in a blog post about 3CX that it was very easy to use.[8] In 2009, it was featured on the internet TV show Hak5.[9] On 7 June 2017, 3CX released version 15.5 with a feature set from WebRTC video conferencing, presence, chat, voicemail and a new Web Client. In the years that followed, Live Chat, SMS and Facebook integrations were added, as well as the Microsoft Teams in the latest V18.

In March 2023, 3CX announced that their desktop client had been taken over by hackers and spread malware after a supply chain attack.[10] The company has confirmed on their website and their community forum.[11] Also, cybersecurity technology companies CrowdStrike and SentinelOne wrote about this hack on their websites, with CrowdStrike mentioning there is suspected nation-state involvement.[12][13] In response to this, 3CX appointed Mandiant, a renowned American cyber security firm and subsidiary of Google. With their help, 3CX was able to review this incident in full.

In July 2023, in an effort to cater specifically to the needs of small businesses, 3CX announced the new edition "3CX Small Business". This offering draws upon the company's extensive experience with a global customer base of over 350,000. 3CX Small Business is designed to eliminate common challenges faced by small enterprises in adopting VoIP solutions. It features a user-friendly setup requiring no specialized IT skills, along with a comprehensive suite of functionalities accessible via as web client, mobile apps and desk phones.

Features

3CX Phone System consists of a number of software-based[14] components. The PBX, accessed and managed via a Web Client, PWA, Desktop App, Management & Admin consoles, softphone for Windows, and smartphone clients for iOS and Android.

The phone system can be used with either SIP phones or the clients, or a combination of the two. The PBX provides unified communications functionality including call recordings, multi-level IVR, call center features, voicemail to email, fax to email, integrated video & call conferencing, free live chat, SMS & MMS, inbound WhatsApp messaging, additional integrations with Facebook and a number of CRM platforms.

Release History

Version Build Number Release date
v18 - Update 8 18.0.8.939 September 2023
v18 - Update 7 18.0.7.441 April 2023
v18 - Update 6 18.0.6.908 February 2023
v18 - Update 5 18.0.5.415 September 2022
v18 - Update 4 18.0.4.965 July 2022
v18 - Update 3 18.0.3.450 February 2022
v18 - Update 2 18.0.2.307 December 2021
v18 - Update 1 18.0.1.234 October 2021
v18 18.0.0.1880 August 2021
v16 - Update 8 16.0.8.9 February 2021
v16 - Update 7 16.0.7.1078 December 2020
v16 - Update 6 16.0.6.641 August 2020
v16 - Update 5 16.0.5.611 April 2020
v16 - Update 4 16.0.4.493 December 2019
v16 - Update 3 16.0.3.676 October 2019
v16 - Update 2 16.0.2.910 5 July 2019
v16 - Update 1 16.0.1.273 16 May 2019
v16 16.0.0.1581 27 March 2019
v15.5 - Update 6 15.5.15502.6 30 August 2018
v15.5 - Update 5 15.5.13105.5 1 June 2018
v15.5 - Update 4 15.5.10244.4 1 March 2018
v15.5 - Update 3 15.5.8801.3 1 January 2018
v15.5 - Update 2 15.5.6354.2 1 November 2017
v15.5 - Update 1 15.5.3849.1 1 August 2017
v15.5 15.5.1694.0 1 July 2017
v15 SP5 15.0.62928.5 1 March 2017
v15 SP4 60903 1 December 2016
v15 SP3 59950 1 October 2016
v15 SP2 59381 1 October 2016
v15 SP1 56772 1 July 2016
v15 56008 1 July 2016
v14 SP3 49169 1 February 2016
v14 SP2 47020 1 December 2015
v14 SP1 45826 1 October 2015
v14 44241 1 September 2015
v12.5 12.5.37957.880 21 October 2014
v12 SP6 36097.67 6 June 2014
v12 SP5 35528.64 5 May 2014
v12 SP4 34902.6 4 March 2014
v12 SP3 33517.465 3 November 2013
v12 SP2 32816.397 2 October 2013
v12 SP1 32495.362 1 September 2013
v11 SP4 1 February 2013
v11 SP3 1 December 2012
v11 SP2 1 November 2012
v11 SP1 1 September 2012
v11 1 July 2012
v10 SP6 10.24018 1 February 2012
v10 SP5 10.22686 1 December 2011
v10 SP4 10.22052 1 November 2011
v10 SP3 10.21197 1 September 2011
v10 SP2 10.20401 1 July 2011
v10 SP1 10.19547 1 May 2011
v10 10.19117 1 March 2011
v09 SP4 9.14901 10 November 2010
v09 SP3 9.14507 16 October 2010
v09 SP1 9.13763 1 July 2010
v08 - Update 4 8.0.10824 29 January 2010
v08 8.0.9414 2 October 2009
v07.1 07.01.6589 17 April 2009
v07 7.0.4249 4 December 2008
v06.1 6.1.1793 12 September 2008
v06 6.0.612 23 June 2008

Table created according to the "3CX Phone System Build History".[15]

See also

Notes

  1. 3CX stopped Support for Raspberry Pi-Based PBX Systems. They may still be used as SBCs [2]

References

  1. "Install your PBX on a credit card size Raspberry Pi device" (in en-US). 2019-02-22. https://www.3cx.com/blog/docs/raspberry-pi-pbx/. 
  2. "Raspberry Pi4 PBX Users: Migrate to StartUP" (in en-US). 2022-09-13. https://www.3cx.com/blog/news/raspberrypi-migrate-startup/. 
  3. Alexis Argent (2009-09-30). "VoIP Uncovered » Why 3CX? Interview with Nick Galea, the CEO of 3CX". http://blog.voipon.co.uk/why-3cx-interview-with-nick-galea-the-ceo-of-3cx/. 
  4. "Latest Topics | ZDNet". 2015-06-30. http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/software/enterpriseapplications/0,1000001813,39292653,00.htm. 
  5. "3CX - 3CX Phone System for Windows review". Unusual Publishing Ltd. 2008-04-14. http://www.itreviews.co.uk/software/s589.htm. }
  6. "Unified Communications". http://www.voipplanet.com/solutions/article.php/3789951. 
  7. Wright, Karl. "3CX Phone System Free Edition [Computer Shopper"]. Dennis Publishing Limited. http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/broadband/reviews/219474/3cx-phone-system-free-edition.html. 
  8. "3CX Review | DIY PBX". http://www.smithonvoip.com/3cx-review/. 
  9. "Episode 503 – Build a free VoIP PBX in under 10 minutes – Start programming a USB Dev Board for less than $20 | Technolust since 2005". http://www.hak5.org/episodes/episode-503. 
  10. Jourdan, Pierre (2023-03-30). "3CX DesktopApp Security Alert" (in en-US). https://www.3cx.com/blog/news/desktopapp-security-alert/. 
  11. "3CX DesktopApp Security Alert" (in en-US). 30 March 2023. https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/3cx-desktopapp-security-alert.119951/. 
  12. CrowdStrike (2023-03-29). "CrowdStrike Prevents 3CXDesktopApp Intrusion Campaign" (in en). https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/crowdstrike-detects-and-prevents-active-intrusion-campaign-targeting-3cxdesktopapp-customers/. 
  13. Guerrero-Saade, Juan Andrés (2023-03-29). "SmoothOperator | Ongoing Campaign Trojanizes 3CXDesktopApp in Supply Chain Attack" (in en-US). https://www.sentinelone.com/blog/smoothoperator-ongoing-campaign-trojanizes-3cx-software-in-software-supply-chain-attack/. 
  14. "3CX Review | Under the Lid of the Software Revolution". 2017-04-18. https://www.uctoday.com/reviews/3cx/3cx-phone-system-review/. 
  15. "3CX Phone System Build History". https://www.3cx.com/blog/change-log/phone-system-change-log/.