MAP Security

The set of controls that prevent abuse of MAP operations across SS7 interconnect. Includes filtering MAP messages by operation code and direction (Category 1: never allowed from interconnect; Category 2: only from the subscriber's home or current visited network; Category 3: rate-limited and behaviour-validated), Global Title screening, SMS Home Routing to hide subscriber location from foreign SMSCs, and correlation engines that detect impossible-velocity location updates. MAP security is defined operationally by GSMA FS.11.

Categories: Core NetworkSignalingRoaming and Interconnect

MAP Security in context

The mobile core carries subscriber sessions, mobility and policy. In 4G it is the EPC (MME, HSS, S/PGW); in 5G it is the Service-Based Architecture with AMF, SMF, UPF, AUSF, UDM and the NRF.

Signaling protocols carry the control-plane messages that set up calls, register subscribers and route SMS. SS7, Diameter, GTP-C and SIP are the four dominant families, and interconnect exposure of any of them is treated by GSMA as top-tier telecom risk.

To place MAP Security in the wider telecom-security picture, review MAP, HLR, Signaling Penetration Testing, SMS Home Routing, MSSP and FS.07: each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

  • SS7 Firewall GSMA FS.11 category 1/2/3 SS7 message screening at the STP edge.
  • SMS Firewall SMS spam, phishing, A2P bypass and MAP-layer SMS filtering.
  • Signaling Firewall Unified SS7/Diameter/GTP/SMS signaling firewall framework.
  • SS7 Security SS7/MAP/CAP/SCCP attacks and defenses across 2G/3G interconnect.

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