A new type of attack that has plagued mobile network recently if the deployment of SMS blasters — rogue devices that mimic legitimate network infrastructure to deliver fraudulent or malicious SMS messages.
These devices may appear to end users as legitimate eNodeBs, thereby exploiting
trust in the network and damaging operator reputation. These threats can often evade
traditional core-network monitoring, especially when masquerading at the radio

Attackers use this method to deliver fraudulent SMS messages to subscribers, often with a spoofed sender address, to conduct advanced fishing attacks for financial gain at the subsciber’s detriment.

The Telecom Defense Limited Company offers a monitoring and analytics service that allows for detection and forensic investigation of suspected SMS blaster deployments mimicking the  operator’s radio access network.

Using this service, we are able to identify locations where SMS Blasters are being deployed, to assist with policing efforts, as well as identify subscribers subject to these attacks and warn them, to minimize the impact.

If your network has been affected by SMS Blasters, please contact us to discuss how we can assist you defend against this threat.