Validation Server for Spoofed Communication Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication networks face issues with message spoofing, where attackers falsify source addresses to disguise their identity, leading to fraud and billing discrepancies, compromising the integrity of messaging services and billing processes.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to determine the authenticity of the source identifier by extracting it from incoming messages, obtaining destination identifiers from previous communications associated with the source, and comparing them with the recipient's identifier, using a validation server to authenticate the sender through communication logs and timestamps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If message spoofing is allowed to maintain ease of operation and legitimate uses, then message sending flexibility is improved, but security and reliability deteriorate due to fraud and identity disguise
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification by checking communication history between the alleged sender and recipient before delivering the message. The validation server queries whether the sender has previously communicated with the recipient, and only allows messages through if this preliminary check confirms a legitimate relationship exists between the parties.
Solution Approach 2:
A validation server acts as an intermediary between the messaging system and the user. This intermediary component receives incoming messages, performs authentication checks by querying communication history, and determines whether to allow or block the message based on the verification results, thereby resolving the conflict between allowing flexible messaging and preventing spoofing.
2Reliability
If intelligent routing function is added to verify sender authenticity from HLR, then message security is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The validation server performs multiple functions: it validates sender authenticity, checks communication history, and makes routing decisions. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional component, the system achieves reliable sender verification without proportionally increasing infrastructure complexity, as the same server handles various validation tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses existing communication history data that is already maintained by the messaging infrastructure for billing and routing purposes. Instead of requiring entirely new verification infrastructure, the system repurposes existing data stores and communication channels to perform authentication, thereby reducing the need for additional complex infrastructure.
3Measurement precision
If source identifier extraction and verification are performed for every incoming message, then spoofing detection accuracy is improved, but processing time and system load worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial verification by checking only essential elements (whether the sender has previously communicated with the recipient) rather than conducting exhaustive analysis of all message attributes. This partial action approach maintains adequate spoofing detection accuracy while minimizing additional processing time and system load.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed subject matter addresses the problem of spoofing by directly and transparently communicating with the apparent sender of the potentially spoofed incoming message or with the communications network handing the communication of the potentially spoofed incoming message. The address of the recipient device of the potentially spoofed incoming message is compared with addresses of communication sent from the apparent sender. As a result of this comparison, it may be determined whether the phone call or message was sent from the apparent source or was spoofed. The times associated with messages sent from the indicated sender and times associated with the incoming message may also be used to determine the authenticity of the apparent sender. The recipient is of the incoming message is notified of a spoofed message.