VoIP frauds are common in the IP telephony industry. From DoS (Denial of Service) to DDoS (Destructive Denial of Service), synthetic caller ID, IRSD (International Revenue Sharing Fraud), toll fraud, caller ID spoofing, robocalls, and many other types of attacks are joining the list of major telecom frauds in the VoIP industry. The nuisance of caller ID spoofing and robocalls is so high that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed a STIR/SHAKEN framework on telephony service providers in the USA.
According to the reports, the number of robocalls has been increasing across the world mainly in the USA. If we talk about the numbers, this number is way too high in America. Attackers and fraudsters intercept the line and spoof the caller ID to deceive the call recipient. They pose as IRS agents or individuals from the legal department, aiming to steal tax refund amounts. There are several other types of fraud that these attackers carry out by impersonating the identity of someone else.
This kind of attack in the VoIP industry has increased rapidly in the past few years. This not only affects consumers but also damages the business of VoIP service providers and carriers. Customers find it difficult to trust a provider whose network gets intercepted too often. STIR/SHAKEN is a framework that helps in safeguarding consumers and carriers from this known attack of call spoofing.
1. How Do Carriers Lose the Trust of Consumers Due to Call Spoofing?
Tricking customers is effortless for attackers who impersonate intimidating figures like a legal team or someone within their network. Stealing money benefits hackers, but it starts creating doubts in the minds of customers about the trustworthiness of callers.
A majority of VoIP service providers show caller ID during the call, but still, it becomes difficult for customers to believe whether the caller is legitimate or someone has deceived the phone line.
Intercepting VoIP phone lines not only raises trust issues but also leads to financial damage, mental trauma, and negative publicity for carriers and service providers.
2. STIR and SHAKEN at Brief
The FCC mandates the STIR/SHAKEN framework for all carriers and service providers catering to American customers.
In simple words, this technology helps carriers to authenticate each caller ID that is going through the network to the customer. It is one of the most effective ways to combat fraud attacks in the VoIP industry. In general, it uses a caller ID verification process by using a set of protocols and algorithms. Following are the steps followed by the carriers and VoIP service providers by using this mechanism to provide secure communication services:
- Each caller ID adds a digital signature to the caller ID to showcase the legitimacy of the caller ID.
- When the call is received from the interconnected network, the receiving carrier will validate and verify the caller ID by checking the signature.
- Based on the results, the carrier will showcase whether the caller ID is verified or not to the recipient.
The recipient will now have a clear idea of whether the caller ID displayed is legitimate or not. Based on this information, the recipient can take a call or reject it.
If you want to learn more about STIR/SHAKEN, here is a quick guide on STIR/Shaken written by an expert.
3. How Does STIR/SHAKEN Help In Regaining Trust In VoIP Based Phone Services?
STIR and SHAKEN framework not only helps in combating fraud in the telecom industry, but it also helps in regaining trust in VoIP services in multiple ways.
Ensure The Legitimacy of the Caller
As mentioned earlier, STIR and SHAKEN is not just a digital signature verification algorithm, but it is a complete set of protocols defined to verify and authenticate the caller ID. A carrier can showcase with assurance whether a caller is verified based on this framework of STIR and SHAKEN or not.
Also Read : Why STIR/SHAKEN Is Necessary in the VoIP Industry?
This gives a clear indication of how a call should be answered and handled by the recipient. In fact, customers can choose to ignore spam calls. This helps in regaining trust in the service of a provider.
Comply with FCC Protocols
FCC has made it mandatory to implement this framework of STIR and SHAKEN to avoid robocalls and call spoofing spam. Compliance with this rule not only adheres to federation regulations but also presents a positive brand image. Business brands can lead the way by marketing their commitment to client improvement and compliance with federation rules.
Increase Trust Factor by Combating Attacks
One of the major advantages of STIR and SHAKEN is that it helps in protecting clients from fraud attacks made by fraudsters by impersonating others. This helps in saving money and interest of customers. This increases the brand’s popularity and also helps in positive word of mouth promotion. It restores trust in VoIP phone services and enhances brand value among customers.
Concluding Notes
It is not possible to stop or restrict attackers completely. They will try their tricks to execute their malicious intentions. As VoIP based services are executed over the internet lines, deceiving customers is very easy, and therefore, telephony frauds are increasing like anything in the VoIP industry.
Call spoofing is a known attack and getting out of control, which is why it is regulated with STIR and SHAKEN. You must use this framework to combat these fraudsters and keep customers happy and protected. You can generate the certificate by yourself and implement it in your network. We can also help with our professional services to help you safeguard your network from the number of telecom frauds. Whether you need a consultation or you want to implement the STIR/SHAKEN framework with our professional services, we can help you. To learn more about our expertise and services, contact us.
