UK operators EE, O2, Vodafone and Three have deployed the GSMA’s Spam Reporting Service to deal with spam messages and threats.
The service is powered by Cloudmark and helps operators to analyse patterns of spam attack, work out where they are coming from and close down the source of threats. Affected users can text a short code to an operator and threats are then aggregated, giving details about where the threat is originating from and how big it is.
Operators can share information with one another in real time so attacks that start on one network do not spread to others.
The four UK operators are working with the country’s Information Commissioner’s Office to deal with nuisance SMS. The five organisations are also looking at ways to extend the service to cover spam phonecalls.
John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA, commented: “Increasing numbers of consumers are victims of spam and mobile network operators are working hard defending against these threats. The GSMA Spam Reporting Service provides operators with a tool to measure the extent of fraud and phishing and provides the insight needed to address sophisticated messaging threats that could harm users. By working closely with the ICO, the UK’s operators are making it more difficult for spammers and fraudsters to target mobile phone users in this country.”
According to figures from Infonetics Research, the global MMS/SMS security gateway market was expected to hit €51 million last year – a 70 percent increase over 2012.
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