Nuisance Calls and Texts. Neil Cook, Cloudmark Chief Technology Officer

Transcription

1 Nuisance Calls and Texts Neil Cook, Cloudmark Chief Technology Officer

2 Who is Cloudmark? Cloudmark develops messaging security software solutions for communications service providers to protect their networks and subscribers from spam, fraud, phishing and malware. GSMA Spam Reporting Service Cloudmark Advanced Fingerprinting Algorithms THREATS Mobile Operator Data Feed Security Operations Cloudmark Service Cloudmark Research Advanced Message Fingerprinting Algorithms THREATS Cloudmark Service Traffic Analysis System Expert Analysis System Trust Evaluation System Global Operator Networks Mobile Operator Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute.

3 Are Nuisance Calls and Texts Really a Problem? More than 45M people in the UK have received unsolicited calls or text messages. Source: Step Change Debt Charity Source: Step Change Debt Charity Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute. 2

4 Are Nuisance Calls and Texts Really a Problem? Nearly 2 Billion SMS spam sent in the UK annually. 200 Million SMS Spam Variants 92% of British adults who text say it is at least somewhat important that their carrier have a mechanism for reporting mobile spam. Source: Cloudmark Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute. 3

5 Common Attack Types in the UK Most Common Nuisance Call Types PPI Compensation Personal Injury Claims Silent Calls 48% 51% 62% 2/3 of British adults have received PPI themed nuisance texts and calls. Non Financial Product Sales 39% Citizens Advice UK, 2013 Financial Product Sales Most Common SMS Spam Types 35% Source: Which?, % Did not give permission to be contacted. Citizens Advice UK, 2013 Payday Loan Spam PPI Compensation Accident Compensation Product Promotion Debt Relief 7% 6% 10% 21% 41% Source: Cloudmark, 3Q % by phone 40% by automated message 35% by text Citizens Advice UK, 2013 Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute. 4

6 Common UK SMS Spam Attack Examples PPI Payday Loan Accident and Personal Injury We have been trying to contact you regarding your PPI claim, we have details to show that you could be owed 2500.Reply REFUND or STOP REFUND to Opt Out. Friday Cash! 100% acceptance on ALL payday loans, cash in your account Before 17:00 at Apply now for Cash Today!! Reply stop to stop is waiting in your name, its compensation for the accident you had, to get it sent out ASAP fill out the form at mobi Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute. 5

7 Call For Change Coordinated approach: Regulation Reporting In-Network Filtering 6 Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute.

8 Regulation Information Commissioner s Office fines PPI spammers UK, civil action (raided , ) Regulations against referral fees for personal injury cases UK, civil penalties London police arrest pension liberation spammers UK, criminal action

9 PPI Spam, UK January 2011, PPI compensation spam ramps up Unsure if you qualify for a refund of PPI paid on a loan or credit card? Reply PPI and we will run a no obligation check or reply STOP to opt out. 27 July 2011, Tetrus Telecoms (Gary McNeish and Chris Neibel) in Stockport called on by ICO enforcement officers. McNeish already living in Thailand. 29 July 2011, SMS spam sent via Stockport mast ceases 11 August 2011, ICO search warrant for now vacant Stockport location 28 February 2012, search of Neibel s home 24 September 2012, letter of intent served on McNeish 26 November 2012, fines levied by ICO

10 Personal Injury Referral Fee Ban, UK Lawyers in UK have tight restrictions on advertising, but were allowed to pay for cases referred to them Source: Linkedin December 21, 2009, Lord Justice Jackson's Review of Civil Litigation Costs recommends ban on referral fees for personal injury claims May 1, 2012, UK Government approves ban as part of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 April Fool s Day, 2013, ban takes effect

11 Pension Liberation SMS Spam, UK Hi, as you have a frozen pension, you can get a large cash payment within 4 weeks, to get it started today reply 'CASH' to this text IMPORTANT FREE MESSAGE: Release CASH from your frozen UK Pension Minimum pension value 18,000 call (no cash fees) To Opt-Out reply stop Tino great news for Xmas release a cash lump sum from your pension even if under 55 Old or new pensions can be released Visit No mention of tax penalties for early withdrawal Either advanced fee scams or fraudulent investment schemes

12 Pension Liberation Arrests February 2013, UK Pensions Regulator created a task force: Serious Fraud Office Serious Organized Crime Agency Home Office Photo: Wikipedia Commons May 9 th, 2013, arrests and computers seized in London, Glasgow, Ayr and Cheshire

13 APPG on Nuisance Calls and Texts September 10, 2013 Key Recommendations: Improve compliance Make reporting easier and more effective Protect and empower consumers Improve the regulators capacity to take action Cloudmark Confidential. Cloudmark Do Confidential. not copy, repurpose, Do not copy, or repurpose, distribute. or distribute. 12

14 Reporting Many countries have deployed GSMA SRS Global service for spam intelligence Subscribers report SMS spam to short code 7726 Real-time insight to network traffic Operators and regulator share all information facilitated by SRS Subscriber Reports Automated Analysis Analytics Dashboard Attack Fingerprint Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute. 13

15 In-Network Filtering Spam and Fraud Clean Traffic Network Firewall Network Level Protection Message Type Restrictions Application Firewall Sender Reputation and Volumetric Controls Global & Per-Subscriber Policies Spam/Virus Filtering Message Fingerprinting Clean Traffic Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute.

16 Conclusions Nuisance calls and texts are on the rise in the UK Not just nuisance includes fraud and other malicious activities Consumers want protection Successful strategy will include: - Regulation - Reporting - In network filtering Reportin g In Network Filtering Regulation Cloudmark Confidential. Do not copy, repurpose, or distribute.

17 Thank you 16