Telstra has launched new technology that automatically scans all text messages for malicious content on its mobile network in a move aimed at halting the explosion in scam SMS messages.
The company’s outgoing CEO, Andy Penn, said in a blog post on Thursday the company had witnessed massive growth in reports of scam text messages – particularly the Flubot scam targeting Android devices, which installs malware on the phone to steal credit card and other personal information.
He said in 2021 Telstra had 11,000 reports of malicious texts to Android devices, compared to just 50 in 2020.
“That’s why we’ve turned on a brand-new feature to find and block SMS scam messages with suspicious links as they travel across our network and stop many of them before they reach your mobile device,” he said.
“We know it’s working because our people have been on an internal pilot program for the last three months. Around two and a half thousand employees have taken part and we’ve been successful in detecting and blocking hundreds of scam SMS messages every day.”
The technology has been rolled out and switched on for every mobile device on Telstra’s network – including those signed up to other providers using Telstra’s mobile network like Belong.
The text messages will be automatically scanned on Telstra’s network before being delivered to customers, and if it looks suspicious – with malicious links or similar patterns and characteristics to other messages – Telstra…
