E-CSCF (Emergency Call Session Control Function)
Also known as: Emergency CSCF, Emergency Call Session Control Function
E-CSCF is a specialised CSCF that handles IMS emergency sessions. It receives emergency SIP INVITEs from the P-CSCF, retrieves or validates location information, selects an appropriate PSAP route via a Location Retrieval Function and BGCF, and enforces emergency-specific policies. Security considerations include preventing spoofed emergency identities, ensuring anonymous emergency calls still meet regulatory location requirements, and resisting denial-of-service targeting PSAP routing.
Categories: Internet and Routing
E-CSCF in context
Telecom networks depend on Internet-style routing (BGP, DNS, MPLS) for interconnect, transport and application delivery. Route hijacks and DNS abuse can degrade or intercept signaling as easily as any application-layer attack, which is why RPKI and DNSSEC are now standard hardening for carrier networks.
To place E-CSCF in the wider telecom-security picture, review BGCF, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), P-CSCF, Satellite Backhaul, 3GPP and Egress.
Related terms
Equipment
IMS core (CSCF, TAS, MRF, MGCF, BGCF)
Related topic hubs
- VoLTE Security IMS/VoLTE signaling risk: SIP, IMS-AKA, media plane attacks.
- IMS Security Training Training on IMS, VoLTE/VoNR, SIP and RCS security.
- NAS Security Non-Access Stratum security, integrity and ciphering algorithms.
More from the TelcoSec Glossary
Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.