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Smart Communications blocks 433 SMShing messages

 

Smart Communications representative Sam Gonzaga gives an update on the company's cyber-security operations to address complaints on spam messages and text scams during a Kapihan sa PIA forum held on Feb. 23, 2023 at the Provincial Convention Center, Dumaguete City. (KAT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)


DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, March 3 (PIA) -- Telecommunication service provider Smart Communications has blocked 433 million SMShing messages as part of their cyber security measures to protect their subscribers.

This was disclosed by Smart Communications representative Sam Gonzaga said in a recent Kapihan sa PIA forum where he also shared an update on the accomplishments of the SMART and PLDT Cyber Security Operations Group against SIM card-aided illegal activities.

International cyber security firm Kaspersky defined SMShing as a combined word for SMS and phishing and is as a form cyber-attack carried out over mobile text messaging.

Cyber criminals send fraudulent text messages tricking mobile phone users to click malicious links.

Around 5.5 million domains used for phishing, spam, and hoaxes were also blocked by SMART - PLDT Cyber Operations Groups.

The company also thwarted 17 billion attempts to open malicious domains, 1.3 billion attempts to access URLs showing child sexual abuse materials, 182 million cyber-attacks and data breach incidents, and blocked 400,000 mobile numbers involved in illegal activities.

Gonzaga said the telco company is doing these actions to address complaints on scam and spam text messages and security concerns experienced by their subscribers by the end of last year.

“Nahinay-hinayan na. Ang SMART ug PLDT nibuhat pod sad mi sa among paagi unsaon pod pagbatok aning mga ingon aning mga bati na binuhatan online and through SMS (We are slowly resolving this. Smart and PLDT is doing what it can to counter these wrongful acts online and through SMS),” Gonzaga said.

In line with this, he also urged the public to comply with the directive of the country’s SIM Card Registration Act and register their SIM Cards before the deadline on April 26.

Gonzaga explained that he purpose of the law is to protect the public from criminal acts which utilizes SIM numbers.

Smart prepaid subscribers who are using smartphones may go to https://simreg.smart.com.ph to register their SIM cards.

For postpaid subscribers, they are directed to text YES and send to 5858 to start their SIM registration process.

SIM registrants will be asked to upload a scanned copy of any government-issued ID and take a selfie using their phone as part of the verification procedures. The registration process will only last for five minutes.

Meanwhile, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Region 7 will roll out remote registrations in Negros Oriental to cater to cellphone users who are living in far-flung areas with no access to internet connection and where most of the people use analog cellphones.

NTC-7 Legal Officer Atty. Alan Felix Macaraya Jr. said this is part of their strategy as the agency mandated to take the lead in SIM card registration to increase the number of SIM registrants after noting a slowdown in SIM registration in February.

Macaraya also encouraged telcos to incentivize SIM registration to encourage more people to comply with the law.

“Ang registration man gud along the way mo hinay gud na siya (Along the way registration will slow down).There are many options that we like to ask or impose sa telecommunications companies kung okay sa ilaha (If it’s okay with them). One is to incentivize to speed up the process,” Macaraya said. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)

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