SMS pumping, also known as SMS flooding, is a type of fraud where threat actors send a large volume of unsolicited SMS messages to a victim’s phone number. The goal is to overwhelm the recipient’s inbox, making it difficult for them to use their device normally and potentially leading to the theft of sensitive information.
SMS (short messaging service) pumping is a sophisticated form of fraud that involves the rapid and repeated sending of SMS messages to a victim’s phone number. This malicious activity is often orchestrated by fraudsters who aim to exploit vulnerabilities in the SMS infrastructure, leading to significant financial losses for both individuals and businesses. The primary goal of SMS pumping is to overwhelm the victim’s phone with a barrage of messages, making it difficult for them to use their device normally, and potentially leading to the theft of sensitive information.
The impact of SMS pumping can be far-reaching, affecting not only the end users but also the mobile network operators and service providers. These attacks can degrade network performance, increase operational costs, and damage the reputation of the affected companies.
Pumping: What it is and how to prevent it
SMS pumping, also known as SMS flooding, is a type of fraud where threat actors send a large volume of SMS messages to a single phone number. This can be done using bots or automated scripts, which can generate thousands of messages in a short period.
Preventing SMS pumping requires a multilayered approach that includes both technical and operational measures. Implementing robust security measures, such as rate limiting and real-time monitoring, can significantly reduce the risk of these attacks.
How SMS pumping works
SMS pumping typically involves the use of bots or automated scripts to send a high volume of messages to a single phone number.
The process begins when a fraudster identifies a vulnerable phone number or a target with a high-value SMS, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) or one-time passwords (OTPs). By exploiting vulnerabilities in the SMS infrastructure, the fraudster can send a flood of messages, making it difficult for the recipient to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent communications.
Premium-rate SMS fraud
Premium-rate SMS fraud is a prevalent type of SMS pumping where fraudsters use premium-rate numbers to generate revenue. These numbers are typically associated with services that charge a fee for each message sent or received. By flooding a business with messages from these numbers, fraudsters can rack up substantial charges, which the business is then responsible for.
Mobile network operators and service providers are often the first to notice this type of fraudulent activity, as it can lead to a sudden spike in SMS traffic. However, it is the end-user businesses who bear the brunt of the financial impact.
How to detect SMS pumping
Detecting SMS pumping is crucial for preventing financial losses and maintaining the integrity of your SMS. One of the most effective ways to detect these attacks is through real-time monitoring of SMS traffic. By analyzing the volume and frequency of messages sent to a particular number, you can quickly identify unusual patterns that may indicate a pumping attack.
Another key indicator is the source of the messages. If you notice a large number of messages coming from premium-rate numbers or unknown senders, it could be a sign of fraudulent activity. Additionally, user reports of suspicious messages or unexpected charges can provide valuable insights into potential attacks. Akamai’s solutions offer advanced analytics and monitoring capabilities to help businesses detect and respond to SMS pumping in real time.
Protect your business — how Akamai stops SMS pumping
Akamai’s comprehensive bot and abuse cybersecurity solutions are designed to protect businesses from a wide range of threats, including SMS pumping. Our advanced detection and mitigation technologies can identify and block suspicious SMS traffic in real time to protect organizations from inflated SMS traffic costs. By leveraging our extensive network of security experts and cutting-edge tools, you can safeguard your business from the financial and reputational damage caused by these attacks.
Akamai Account Protector is a powerful tool that can help prevent SMS pumping and other forms of fraud. It uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to detect and block fraudulent activity, including the creation of fake accounts and the use of bots to send spam messages. With Account Protector, you can ensure that your SMS remains secure and reliable, even in the face of sophisticated attacks.
How to prevent SMS pumping
Preventing SMS pumping requires a proactive and multifaceted approach. One of the most effective strategies is to implement rate limiting on your SMS. By setting a maximum number of messages that can be sent to a single number within a given time frame, you can significantly reduce the risk of a pumping attack. This can be done at both the application and network levels, providing an additional layer of security.
Another crucial step is to educate your users about the signs of SMS pumping and how to report suspicious activity. Providing clear guidelines and tools for users to block or report spam messages can help mitigate the impact of these attacks. Additionally, using CAPTCHA or other forms of bot detection can prevent automated scripts from sending a high volume of messages to your users.
Conclusion
SMS pumping is a serious threat that can lead to significant financial losses and reputational damage for businesses and individuals. Understanding how these attacks work and implementing effective prevention strategies is essential for maintaining the security and reliability of your SMS. Akamai’s comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, including Account Protector, provide the tools and expertise needed to detect and mitigate SMS pumping attacks in real time.
By working with Akamai, you can protect your business from the financial and operational risks associated with SMS pumping. Our advanced technologies and expert support can help you stay one step ahead of fraudsters, ensuring that your users can trust the messages they receive and that your SMS remains a secure and reliable form of communication. Contact Akamai today to learn more about how we can help you prevent SMS pumping and other types of fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions
SMS pumping typically involves the use of bots or automated scripts to send a high volume of messages to a single phone number. These messages can come from various sources, including premium-rate numbers, and are designed to overwhelm the recipient’s inbox and cause their device to malfunction. The fraudsters often exploit vulnerabilities in the SMS infrastructure to carry out these attacks.
Common sources of SMS pumping messages include premium-rate numbers, which are often used to generate revenue for the fraudsters, and unknown senders. These messages can also come from legitimate-looking numbers that are actually controlled by threat actors.
The risks associated with SMS pumping include financial losses, reputational damage, and disruption of critical operations. For businesses, it can degrade network performance, increase operational costs, and damage customer trust.
Businesses can detect SMS pumping through real-time monitoring of SMS traffic, analyzing the volume and frequency of messages sent to a particular number. Key indicators include a sudden spike in message volume, messages from premium-rate numbers or unknown senders, and user reports of suspicious activity or unexpected charges.
Businesses can implement rate limiting on their SMS to control the number of messages sent to a single number within a given time frame. They can also use CAPTCHA or other forms of bot detection to prevent automated scripts from sending a high volume of messages. Additionally, real-time monitoring and alerting systems can help detect and respond to suspicious activity promptly.
Why customers choose Akamai
Akamai is the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business online. Our market-leading security solutions, superior threat intelligence, and global operations team provide defense in depth to safeguard enterprise data and applications everywhere. Akamai’s full-stack cloud computing solutions deliver performance and affordability on the world’s most distributed platform. Global enterprises trust Akamai to provide the industry-leading reliability, scale, and expertise they need to grow their business with confidence.
