Insights from Vox Solutions

VOX Insights | Networks Audit Report for Morocco

Network Audit Morocco

Mobilesquared most recent SMS A2P databook indicates 18% SMS A2P gray routes in Morocco. A VOX360 network audit of Morocco in 2020 also revealed that there were several clear areas of vulnerability which MNOs should look to improve. These network vulnerabilities negatively impact customer service and also act as significant barriers to MNOs being able to increase their revenue.

Sub-Network auditing results for fraudulent activity: Morocco

There are more often than not a set of common challenges that show up in country-level network analysis. 

  1. Messages Analysed for Manipulated Content

Manipulated content shows up when a consumer receives an SMS showing text alterations. These alterations indicate that someone with malicious intent has tampered with the message. 

“11% of SMS traffic showed evidence of manipulated content”

We uncovered that 11% of SMS traffic carried traces of manipulated content in Morocco. This points to a high chance of fraudulent activity. In most cases, evidence of manipulated content means your customers could be the target of a scam.

Digging deeper into the manipulated content in Morocco, we found that of the manipulated content messages, 40% of them had all text removed, with only the 2FA code delivered. Here are some examples of the messages that appeared to consumers:

  • G-874317 is your   verification key
  • Your V!ber key is: 702317
  • 592070 is your Amazon security key
  • 065 065 is your   key 

There is a high probability that this manipulated content shows fraudulent Intention to bypass a firewall. The negative impact of these actions is significant, as this firewall bypass technique often results in high volumes of bypass messages that negatively impact customer experience.

  1. SIM-box Threat Analysis

No Sim-box activity was identified for Morocco. However, the probability of Sim-box bypass is high in markets where there is high mobile penetration and multiple types of unlimited bundles. As MNOs battle for market share, especially in mature markets, they introduce unlimited bundles which can always be taken advantage of for bypass.

“Sim-box bypass builds slowly over time, but it can have a very high impact if not managed” said Marius Rosca, SVP Operations at Vox Carrier

With three highly competitive MNOs operating in the same mature market, there is a high chance that Sim-box bypass can be taking place on at least one of the networks.

  1. International A2P Traffic Sources

High amounts of traffic from international networks can point to a weak spot in a network that could lead to firewall bypass. International bypass traffic can often be difficult to control because high volumes of traffic can pass through a network in a very short space of time. This badly affects an MNO’s ability to manage and monetize its traffic.

In Morocco, due to home routing masking, we were unable to detect traffic of international origin. However, this does not mean that there is no risk in this market. A2P bypass can still occur from sources within a national network.

Testing results for fraudulent activity in Morocco

Extremely low pricing often deserves close inspection to make sure that proper business practices are being followed. With Morocco, we found that a small but significant percentage (17%) of their SMSs were delivered at the lowest price possible. 

“17% of SMSs delivered through hubs were delivered at the low price range of € 0.001 to 0.01”

To make matters worse, 3 of their hubs showed very high delivery rates (100%) for the lowest rate on the network. It is highly inefficient and concerning to focus high efficiency and service on the lowest pricing.

“3 hubs in the delivery price range of € 0.001 to 0.01 had a delivery success rate of 100%”

High delivery rates for ultra-low-cost hubs are a red flag that reveals many potential risks. These risks could involve sim-box termination or content manipulation. The probability of these types of bypass occurring is very high, especially when terminated via local hubs, aggregators, or content providers.

Collating the findings of the Morocco network analysis

Here is a list of the challenges existing within Morocco’s network:

  • Identified content manipulation has the scope of bypassing firewalls
  • High volumes of cheap SMS traffic, coupled with high delivery success rates, places more valuable traffic at risk
  • Badly monetized A2P SMS products lead to revenue leakage
  • User privacy concerns – leaked subscriber date could lead to reputational and legal issues.

When all these risks are considered:

“The total estimated volume of international A2P fraud in Morocco is 15-20%”

But what are the true risks of these findings and why do MNOs need to take them seriously?

Risks of known network vulnerabilities

There are three major threats that emerge from the findings of our network analysis:

MNOs lose money

Each network practice that reduces the efficiency of an MNO causes it to lose money. This could be Sim-box fraud, pricing imbalances, or message content manipulation. Now is the time for MNOs to optimize their systems to take back control of their own networks.  

Loss of Control

By allowing outside parties to take advantage of network weaknesses, MNOs lose control. They cannot direct their own success, as outside forces are actively sabotaging their strategy. This often affects the financial success of MNOs and reduces customer satisfaction.

Privacy and Security

In a regulated industry like telecommunications, compliance is an important factor. MNOs stand to compromise the privacy and security of their customers if fraudulent schemes are left unchecked.

Conclusion

Morocco’s network infrastructure demonstrates some areas of weakness. If MNOs want to optimize their systems to maximize revenue opportunities while keeping customer retention levels high, now is the time to take back control of their operations. To combat common network attacks, MNOs should monitor and test their networks in order to take control of their revenues and customers. 

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