Criminals can use Global Titles to intercept and divert calls and messages, and get their hands on information held by mobile networks.
Use of the numbers has enabled scammers to intercept security codes sent by banks to customers via SMS message. In some cases, the numbers can be exploited by criminals to track the physical location of people anywhere in the world.
What are Global Titles?
Global Titles are used by mobile networks to send and receive signalling messages, helping to make sure a call or SMS gets to the intended recipient.
They are used quietly in the background of the billions of calls and texts made worldwide and are never seen by individuals sending or receiving a call or message.
These Global Titles are sometimes leased out by mobile networks – largely to legitimate businesses who use them to offer mobile services.
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But problems can occur when these numbers fall into the wrong hands – this can lead to the security and privacy of mobile users being compromised, as their personal data may be directly or indirectly accessed by criminals.
Cracking down on cyber criminals
The risk posed by the leasing of Global Titles has been recognised by organisations such as the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and is acknowledged within the telecoms sector.
But industry-led efforts to address these issues have not been effective, so Ofcom has stepped in to ban the leasing of Global Titles with immediate effect.
Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communications, said: “We are taking world-leading action to tackle the threat posed by criminals gaining access to mobile networks.
“Leased Global Titles are one of the most significant and persistent sources of malicious signalling. Our ban will help prevent them falling into the wrong hands – protecting mobile users and our critical telecoms infrastructure in the process.”
Ollie Whitehouse, NCSC’s chief technical officer, said: “Today’s announcement marks an important step in the support of our mission to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.
“This technique, which is actively used by unregulated commercial companies, poses privacy and security risks to everyday users, and we urge our international partners to follow suit in addressing it.”
