The Ultimate Guide to SMS Pumping
With the increasing use of mobile devices, businesses are eager to connect with customers through SMS. However, some companies may become victims of SMS pumping. Companies risk falling victim to these costly coordinated attacks without robust providers and security protocols.
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What Is SMS Pumping?
SMS pumping may initially sound harmless, but the reality is far more sinister. Cybercriminals frequently use this deceptive tactic to exploit vulnerabilities in online systems that rely on automatic SMS responses. SMS pumping scams are a form of artificially inflated traffic.
What Is Artificially Inflated Traffic?
Artificially inflated traffic or SMS pumping is when someone intentionally sends fake user activity on digital platforms like websites or apps. This could be anything from bogus clicks to any engagement that isn’t from actual humans. Much artificially inflated traffic is generated by bots or automated scripts designed to mimic human behavior. This can be clicking links, viewing pages, or completing forms.
How Do SMS Pumping Attacks Work?
SMS pumping is a deceitful strategy employed by criminals to inundate online services with a flurry of requests. It leads to the inundation of multiple SMS messages to fake phone numbers. They essentially “pump” SMS automations by filling out online forms that require a mobile number.
These messages typically carry codes necessary for authentication or verification purposes. These SMS pumping attacks can cause system disruptions, jeopardize sensitive data, or exploit carrier billing systems.
Think about this example:
- You have a form on your website encouraging users to sign up for online banking services.
- Bad actors send bots to fill out these forms using fake numbers.
- Your automated service sends verification codes to these fake numbers.
- Due to the high influx of traffic, message deliverability becomes unreliable. Genuine customers see a delay in receiving messages.
- Your bill from your service provider is high even though you have a low number of completed and verified accounts.
The main goal of SMS pumping attacks can vary greatly depending on what the attackers try to achieve:
- Flooding a service with numerous SMS requests can overwhelm the system, resulting in denial of service for legitimate users.
- Attackers may target a carrier’s billing system to drain funds from prepaid accounts. Bad actors may also inflate charges through automatic SMS responses.
- Attackers can bypass security measures and gain unauthorized access by intercepting OTPs or other sensitive information sent to numbers under their control.
- Attackers may look to take over outbound messaging and send malicious messages wrought with phishing attacks via links within fraudulent messages.
Reducing the Risk of SMS Pumping Attacks
SMS pumping fraud has significant ramifications for both service providers and users. Businesses may face service disruptions, financial losses, and damage to their reputations. Users may experience slow and poor service as a result.
Reducing the risk of fraud and combating SMS pumping attacks requires a multifaceted approach that involves technical safeguards, user education, and regulatory compliance.
Implement Rate Limiting
Implementing rate limiting on your systems. This security measure controls the number of requests a user can make within a specific timeframe. This practice protects against potential attackers who might flood your system with excessive SMS-triggering requests.
Limit the messaging reach for international countries which your company only does business. Don’t set up routing to countries you are otherwise not going to send messages to or only send a minute number of messages through to. Also, avoid ‘high risk’ message pumping markets by working with your messaging aggregator to ensure proper routing pathways which are safe and secure.
Use CAPTCHA and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Incorporate CAPTCHA challenges on forms, sign-up, or login processes. CAPTCHAs can deter automated scripts used by attackers in SMS pumping scams by requiring bots to perform difficult actions.
While SMS-based OTPs are a form of MFA, they can be susceptible to interception. Enhance security by offering or requiring more secure forms of MFA. This can include authenticator apps, hardware tokens, biometric verification, or frictionless authentication solutions which are less vulnerable to SMS interception tactics.
Monitor for Anomalous Activity
Implementing systems to continuously monitor and carefully analyze user behavior and request patterns for any irregularities is crucial in safeguarding your platform. Keep a close eye on any sudden surges in SMS requests, especially those originating from new or unverified users. They could potentially signal a fraudulent pumping attempt. Detecting these anomalies early on empowers you to swiftly enact effective countermeasures to protect your system and users.
Work with Trusted Service Providers
Work closely with telecom providers to identify and block malicious traffic. Many providers offer services to detect and prevent fraudulent activities, including SMS pumping. Enterprises can avoid SMS pumping fraud by working only with trusted service providers. Choose providers that comply with local and international data protection and telecommunications regulations, including standards set by organizations like the GSM Association (GSMA).
Verify Your Users
Partner with Syniverse to establish secure and dependable SMS communications channels between your business and its valuable customers. Trust in Syniverse’s expertise to safeguard your messaging integrity and enhance customer interactions.
Lead Manager of Solutions Engineering, Rick Carlson oversees a team of Solutions Engineers providing global enterprise solutions to customers based in the Americas. Since first joining Syniverse, in 2013, Rick has worked consistently in the Solutions Engineering team initially as a Sr. Solutions Engineer working with enterprises and mobile operators alike, then as a Principal Solutions Engineer focusing on the Syniverse Enterprise messaging solutions and working with some of the largest enterprises in the world. Rick has been in the mobile industry for 30 years, starting with a 15-year career at AT&T, ranging from front line customer service roles, product marketing, customer and business retention management, and mobile network operator relations. Rick resides in North Georgia USA, and he holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Morehead State University in Kentucky.
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