Context: Caller ID spoofing allows a phone call to appear as if it originates from a falsified number, often used by fraudsters, telemarketers, and others to hide their identity.
- It’s legal in many places, leading to the rise of commercial spoofing services since 2004.
About Spoofing:
- Spoofing is used for social engineering attacks, bypassing call blocking, and exploiting IVR system vulnerabilities.
- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) suggested a Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) system to display caller names based on KYC documents.
- The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators to block international calls with manipulated Caller Line Identity (CLI), though the system’s effectiveness remains unclear.
The Telecommunications Act, 2023 empowers the government to control telecom services during emergencies, but there has been criticism of government inaction on spoofing.
Addressing this issue would reduce fraud and spam calls, saving revenue for telecom providers and benefiting consumers and the economy.
Source: TH
