Spam

Spam is unsolicited bulk messaging sent over email, SMS, voice (robocalls), or messaging apps. Telecom-specific defences include carrier-side filtering, sender reputation, STIR/SHAKEN attestation for voice, SMS firewalls and grey-route blocking, and regulatory frameworks such as TCPA in the US and the ePrivacy Directive in the EU.

Categories: Security ControlsFraudInternet and Routing

Spam in context

Security controls in telecom span signaling firewalls (SS7/Diameter/GTP screening at the network edge), transport encryption (IPsec, TLS, PRINS), identity and access on OSS/BSS, and monitoring at both the packet and log level. Controls are audited against GSMA FS.11/FS.19/FS.20/FS.36 and, in Europe, NIS2 sectoral rules.

Telecom fraud costs operators an estimated $40+ billion per year. Common vectors include International Revenue Share Fraud (IRSF), Wangiri callback scams, SIM box bypass, PBX hacking, subscription fraud and A2P grey routing. Effective defense combines real-time signaling analytics with CDR-side machine learning.

To place Spam in the wider telecom-security picture, review SOC, Trunk, SIM Box, AIT, Satellite Backhaul and A5/1.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

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.