With the rapidly growing market for mobile devices and communication apps, cyber threats targeting mobile networks have also increased significantly. Various cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities to steal personal and financial data from mobile users through SMS and messaging apps. This establishes the strong need for SMS firewall solutions that can help secure mobile networks and protect users from these emerging cyber threats.

Rise of SMS Phishing and Smishing Attacks

Over the past few years, SMS Firewall phishing or "smishing" attacks have emerged as one of the most common and successful cyber threats. Cybercriminals are sending fraudulent SMS messages impersonating banks, e-commerce sites and other trusted brands to steal login credentials and financial details from unsuspecting users. According to reports, losses due to smishing attacks have increased by over 300% globally in the last year alone. By disguising as trustworthy entities through SMS, hackers are easily tricking users into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive details. This calls for advanced SMS filtering and SMS firewall solutions that can detect and block smishing messages in real-time.

Issues with Traditional Network-based Filters

While traditional network-based SMS filtering offers some baseline security, they have limitations in fully addressing the smishing threat. Firewalls deployed at the mobile network operator level have visibility only into SMS traffic moving through their internal infrastructure. However, smishing messages often originate from outside networks or even different countries making them difficult to identify and filter proactively. Moreover, bad actors quickly change origins to evade detection. Network filters also lack visibility into the content and intent of each SMS limiting their effectiveness over time as attacks evolve. There is a need for advanced, on-device SMS inspection with powerful AI/ML based analysis of message content and behavior.

Emerging Threat of Botnets and Spam Over Internet Telephony

Another growing concern is the threat of botnets and spam over internet telephony like WhatsApp, Telegram etc. Cybercriminals are creating automated bots that can send thousands of unsolicited and malicious messages impersonating contacts. These bot attacks are significantly more difficult to detect and mitigate compared to traditional SMS thanks to end-to-end encryption. Reports suggest losses of millions to such botnet attacks on messaging platforms. While app-level solutions provide some benefits, a network-wide solution is needed to safeguard all communication channels and block malicious traffic at the source.


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