News
HAUD tackles SS7 vulnerabilities with additional modules for mobile network firewall
February 2016 by Marc Jacob
HAUD has announced the launch of a comprehensive suite of additional modules for its mobile network firewall to protect against known SS7 vulnerabilities and provide greater visibility of network traffic for operators. The new modules can prevent an array of SS7 exploits increasingly being deployed by professional telecoms fraud operations.
In combination with HAUD’s existing portfolio of filtering and traffic management tools, the upgraded firewall provides operators with a complete fraud prevention and revenue assurance solution, to ensure network integrity, safeguard brand reputation and improve customer experience.
HAUD’s new firewall modules include:
• FloodGuard provides protection against flooding attacks, DDOS-like events caused by extremely high volumes of SS7 signalling traffic entering a network that can potentially result in service disruption. FloodGuard can automatically detect and report unexpected spikes in traffic activity as well as limit traffic volume coming from specific sources
• ScanGuard identifies and stops scanning attacks that can be used to locate unprotected SMSC (Short Message Service Centre) servers on mobile networks, allowing MNO’s to prevent them becoming compromised by SMS spamming operations
• SpoofGuard prevents SMS spoofing, whereby a subscriber’s mobile number is imitated and used to send large volumes of text message traffic, often across international connections, leaving the subscriber liable for the generation of traffic. SpoofGuard ensures subscribers are not incorrectly billed for fraudulent traffic
• FakeGuard recognises and stops faking of originating Global Titles, used to make SMS traffic originating from unknown or dubious sources appear that it was sent from a trusted SMSC
• EDR, or Event Data Records provides operators with a log of all the traffic being processed by the firewall, allowing the examination of every packet to pinpoint breaches and exploits
HAUD has also implemented time-based rules to its firewall, allowing the parameters of all existing modules to be controlled based on time of day. Together with HAUD’s existing MatchGuard module for complex compound filtering and blocking rules, mobile operators can have the tools to provide a highly secure and customised subscriber experience and meet specific regulatory requirements.
HAUD – the evolution of the brand
In addition to the new service and product enhancements, HAUD has also unveiled a refreshed brand identity, to reflect the evolution of the company. From initially offering an SMS firewall for A2P monetisation, the portfolio of products and services has expanded to include mobile network traffic audits, SS7 security and fully managed service options.
