Cloudmark launches anti-spam for SMS and messaging

Mobile messaging security company Cloudmark has today announced it’s new security solution, Mobile Authority. It’s basically an anti-spam solution, which is attempting to combat the three major security abuses of SMS. First, abusive or spam texts. Second, texts with malicious or virus content. Third, phishing or fraud SMS.

So how does Cloudmark operate?

Cloudmark is a carrier-grade security service - meaning it can scan and detect spam and malicious SMS, in real-time, on fixed, mobile and social networks. As SMS becomes more and more popular and important, the amount of spam SMS has exploded. Vietnam and China have both been forced to bring government action against spam SMS. Simple spam advertising is a huge problem, but malicious SMS can also be a problem - as S60 users found out earlier this year.

Cloudmark claims that MobileAuthority can identify malicious senders and content in both SMS and MMS, and recommend a course of action to operators.

From the release:

“The continued rapid growth of mobile messaging has created an environment that is ripe for abuse by attackers, and the situation will undoubtedly worsen for both operators and their customers if steps are not taken to address messaging security,” said Michael Osterman, founder of Osterman Research. “There is a growing need for solutions that will not only protect customers from messaging threats, but also relieve the cost and infrastructure burden that mobile spam volume is placing on operator networks.”

Hugh McCartney, Chief Executive Officer at Cloudmark: “As mobile messaging threats continue to increase, operators are demanding solutions to protect their users and reduce the burden on their networks. With MobileAuthority, Cloudmark provides the technology, people and data needed to effectively safeguard their customers against mobile threats.”

What we think?

There’s a fine line to be walked here. Allowing spam to proliferate isn’t ideal, but I don’t like the idea of anyone scanning every SMS that is sent. I prefer the Indian system, where every SMS sent is tagged, and if a complaint is made about spam content, the sender of that SMS can be traced and dealt with.