Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Text
The dangers of spam SMS
Ahmed Mansour knew immediately that something was wrong with the unsolicited text messages on his iPhone. It was August 2016, the hottest time of the year in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and as a renowned advocate for human rights, Mansour was already familiar with government surveillance techniques. According to The Guardian newspaper, his activities inside and outside the country had already been monitored for some time.
But the two anonymous text messages were something new. They contained links to information that would help him in his human rights activities. Mansour was suspicious by nature of his work and forwarded the messages to cybersecurity analysts for investigation.
The danger of spam Most computer users receive a fair amount of unsolicited email offering anything from access to African bank accounts to the latest inside information on something of great interest to the reader. Often the spam emails contain links to websites (often malicious websites) or attached files to download. They usually claim to improve the recipient's financial situation or professional life. However, the attached files or the links result in malware being introduced to the computer.
Many of these emails are "phishing," designed to trick innocent people into taking the bait. Spear phishing are attacks on people using real personal information. Cybercriminals provide the bait in these emails with details that are of interest to the targeted person.
Spam SMS Meanwhile, cybercriminals have expanded their phishing networks to include SMS messages. Partly due to security breaches of customer files containing contact information for millions of users around the world, hackers have been able to successfully write software that sends "bait SMS messages."
When consumers click on the links in the spam SMS messages, they download malware to their devices or are redirected to malicious websites. In some cases, users responded to the SMS, so the sender knew the mobile number was in use and vulnerable. Cybercriminals then use phone calls after the original SMS to defraud cell phone owners.
Getting to the root of the hacking In the case of Mansour, a human rights activist, cybersecurity analysts determined that when he clicked on the links in the SMS messages, he would have relinquished control of his iPhone to the hackers. According to The Guardian newspaper, the privately assembled and sophisticated software "would have allowed attackers to spy on virtually all of Mansour's activities - phone calls, text messages, Gmail, Skype and Facebook - as well as scan his calendar and steal passwords and other personal information."
Dealing with spam SMS Some spam SMS messages are very sophisticated and appear to come from banks, phone providers or other reputable companies. If SMS messages look official, call the authentic customer service number for the company to verify the real-time of the SMS. Do not call the phone number listed in the SMS. It's also a good idea to block the phone number from future SMs so they can't be answered.
Forward spam text messages to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These agencies investigate communications that could be considered illegal, and the state government wants to know about any unwanted text messages you receive. Also, report the text messages to your phone provider as spam.
Apps like Mr Number, SMS Blocker, and Text Blocker offer protection from unwanted SMS messages, as does a high-quality security solution like Total Solution from Kaspersky. This software protects the core of Android and iOS mobile devices, so hackers can't take control of tablets and phones. In most cases, this can detect and remove malware that tries to infiltrate devices via spam message links.
Spam SMS messages phishing for gullible victims are still relatively new, but they are bound to become more and more common. With the right knowledge and protection, you will be well prepared.
0 notes
Text
SMS verifications

SMS verification is an increasingly popular method to add another form of authentication to mobile apps. By sending an SMS text containing a one-off-one-time-string-code such as 1234 or 4812360 to the mobile user's phone number, they are then able to enter the required code during checkout to verify that they received the message. This authentication system has several obvious benefits. For example, most SMS enabled mobiles will allow users to see all incoming and outgoing messages. This allows the customer to respond quickly to any messages which may be important to them. It also provides the customer with the ability to enter codes at secure online locations which will then prevent fraud.
SMS verification can also be applied to a virtual keypad by phone companies. With these phones or applications, customers can enter their security details just as they would with a traditional website or app. These secure online pages then allow customers to verify their phone numbers by SMS before they are able to checkout. This SMS verification feature makes it impossible for anyone else to enter a phone number and prevents fraud from happening.
Most SMS programs that allow for sms verification will send a confirmatory email to the phone owner confirming that the number they have entered is genuine. It is important to remember that these messages do not appear in your inbox. They are delivered as spam to the recipients email inbox. This means it is up to the consumer to act upon any messages they receive from an application or web page. Consumers should always verify that a message sent from an application is legitimate before clicking on the link provided in the message.
0 notes