The reason why phone scams are so difficult to tackle | Gadget theory

If you’re like us, you’ve probably reached the point where you can not easily answer phone calls from unknown numbers. Unfortunately, we are all trained to be this way because of the incredible number of phone callers. The awful phone call as a text from and unknown sender typically makes us feel for shady activity, and it does not seem that this problem has gotten better over the years.

Unknown phone calls can often be from scammers

The reason why this problem still exists is because it is just so difficult to address. In fact, these kinds of problems have only gotten worse. With increasing online purchases in the wake of the pandemic, phone scammers have started sending messages from seemingly legitimate phone numbers with fake messages about deliveries in the hope of duping unsuspecting customers.

Cyber-security expert Matthew Gribben says these scammers have become good at making these texts look real, imitating delivery services and even banks, due to vulnerabilities in telephone network systems.

According to Gribben, “There is no way for the current UK telephone network to 100% guarantee that the presentation number it is told is the actual origin number – it has to take your word for it.”

The main problem is that telephone identification protocol, called SS7, is a technique that dates back to 1975. SS7 lets the telephone network know which number a user is calling or reporting, which is called the “presentation number”. This allows conversations to connect with each other. Scammers can steal a presentation number and link it to their numbers instead of the real one.

Mobile networks have a vulnerability that scammers take advantage of O

This affects both mobile and fixed locations, as SS7 is still integrated for 2G and 3G phone networks that carry our text messages and calls. The same is true even if you have a device with 5G.

Some say SS7 vulnerabilities still exist because telecom companies need to give access to national security agencies, but Gribben says this should not be the case. He says SS7 needs to be updated all over the world. It can not just be patched, but must be completely replaced.

Katia Gonzalez, Head of Fraud Prevention and Security at BICS, a Brussels-based telecommunications company that connects mobile networks, says: “SS7 has been developed, assuming that there would always be legitimate activity [and] goodwill for its use. ”

She goes on to say: “There is too much legacy technology [reliant upon it] from which we can not leave – we will have these SS7 2G / 3G networks for at least another 10 years. ”

Because it does not seem as soon as we will have a solution to this problem, so your best action is to proceed with caution. Be wary of any number you do not recognize, and make sure messages from banks or companies are legitimate before clicking on links or sharing information.

Phone scammers Take advantage