by Playfuls Staff |
26th January 2007
NEC will develop a new technology for the prevention of SPam
over Internet Telephony ("SPIT"). The technology called VoIP SEAL will
defend users against the threat of rapidly increasing spam IP phone calls,
[more] and is expected to contribute significantly to the realization of safe voice
over internet protocol ("VoIP") phone networks in the future.
The main features of VoIP SEAL are:
- Calls arising from spam-generating-software and calls from
real individuals are separated by a Turing test.Before connecting the call, VoIP
SEAL detects and blocks the unauthorized access based on the communication
pattern observed during a call. This enables the detection and blocking of SPIT
and prevents the user's phone from ringing unnecessarily.
- By adopting a module structure, VoIP SEAL enables rapid
response to new kinds of SPIT attacks, without adjusting the system, by adding
and updating modules to respond to new and different kinds of SPIT.
- The adoption of a module structure also realizes response
to a broad range of applications by enabling flexible and easy customization of
systems to meet the needs of a variety of hardware, such as SIP servers, SBC,
home network equipment and terminal equipment.
NEC carried out a SPIT attack simulation project employing
VoIP SEAL to verify the technology's ability to protect against SPIT. This
project showed that 99% of SPIT was detected and blocked, preventing users from
receiving unwanted and bothersome calls.
In recent years, the spread of low-cost IP phones has
advanced significantly in comparison to fixed-line phones as a new method of
communication in the next-generation network ( "NGN" ) environment.
However, although IP phones offer cost advantages, they also act as an easy
platform for generating spam calls. The cost of generating a spam call over the
internet is cheaper than in a traditional network by a factor of 1000. As a
result, the existing infrastructure for producing spam e-mails ( so called "botnets"
) can easily be modified to also produce spam telephone calls. Today, the
number of spam emails is higher than the number of regular emails produced
jointly by all of the users in the internet. If unsolicited marketing and spam
calls become as frequent as spam email, constantly-ringing VoIP phones may
hinder the spread of their use.
VoIP SEAL can protect and defend against SPIT, and is
expected to contribute to the realization of a safe and secure NGN. The modular
platform provides the flexibility required to defend against smart attackers
and spammers, who are continuously enhancing their spamming software and
techniques. NEC will continue to develop this technology toward its early
commercialization as a VoIP solution.
