Insights

Bandwidth, PNC Bank and Somos Explore End-to-End Call Authentication

Oct 15, 2024

The 2024 Somos Summit brought together telecom industry leaders, experts and innovators to discuss the future of secure and trusted communications. With insightful sessions and engaging discussions, the event provided an opportunity to delve into the latest technologies and strategies shaping the telecom landscape. During a panel titled Building a Trust Framework: Empowering Telephone Identities for End-to-End Call Authentication, Somos’ SVP & CTO, Sri Ramachandran was joined by industry experts Sarah Delphey, Director of Global Trusted Solutions at Bandwidth, Micah Semon, AVP,Security Staff Manager at PNC Bank and Chris Wendt, VP of Systems Engineering at Somos, for a discussion on the new Trust Framework, and its projected impact on the industry.

The session centered around the industry’s collective mission to enhance trust in the telecommunications landscape, and the Trust Framework’s potential for tackling widespread challenges in communication security, including call spoofing, fraud and transparency in digital communications.

Micah Semon highlighted the challenges PNC Bank has faced with call spoofing, recounting a major fraud incident in January 2024 where threat actors impersonated PNC’s phone numbers to scam victims, resulting in significant financial losses. Micah emphasized the importance of accurately managing telephone number inventories and collaborating with telecom providers to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate calls. This practice is critical for building a secure communication channel and regaining consumer trust, as nearly 20% of PNC's calls to customers were found to be spoofed.

Sarah Delphey of Bandwidth stressed the need for a collaborative approach, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses that may lack the resources to manage these complex security issues. Bandwidth has been working on authenticating customer activities and enhancing industry standards like STIR/SHAKEN, but Sarah pointed out that it is essential to develop solutions that are accessible to all enterprises, regardless of size. She emphasized that the Trust Framework should provide privacy and consent while reducing the complexity of compliance for businesses.

Chris Wendt of Somos expanded on the discussion, detailing how the new Trust Framework builds upon existing measures like STIR/SHAKEN. He emphasized the importance of creating a robust system where telephone numbers can be verified as trusted identities, thereby ensuring that enterprises’ communications with consumers are both secure and legitimate. The Trust Framework aims to extend the principles of authentication and transparency beyond STIR/SHAKEN, integrating privacy and accountability into a comprehensive system that serves all stakeholders in the communication ecosystem.

The session underscored the need for the telecom industry to come together to implement solutions that benefit enterprises and consumers alike. By leveraging the Trust Framework, businesses can reclaim the integrity of their communications and foster trust within the ecosystem.

Key Takeaways:

• The Trust Framework extends beyond STIR/SHAKEN: It aims to include measures like the right to use, privacy and consent to build a more comprehensive trust ecosystem.

• Collaboration is essential for security solutions: Addressing fraud and ensuring transparency requires input and cooperation from all stakeholders, from large enterprises to small businesses. 

• Accessibility and inclusivity are key to success: The framework must be designed to accommodate all businesses, including those that might lack the resources for complex security measures, ensuring

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To learn more about the 2024 Somos Summit and to gain access to on-demand recordings, visit www.somos.com/summit.