Latest coverage for SMS

Report Reveals Growing Trend of Fraudsters Intercepting SMS-Based VerificationFinancial institutions have historically relied on one-time passcodes as a primary authentication control for their accountholders. But OTP verification is less reliable as fraudsters increasingly exploit SMS-based verification weaknesses to carry out account takeover and payment fraud schemes.

Acquisition Targets Business Email Compromise, Impersonation and Spear-PhishingVaronis has acquired SlashNext to strengthen detection of phishing and social engineering attacks. The integration will help prevent identity compromises via email, SMS and collaboration tools while enhancing Miami-based Varonis’ AI-driven data protection.

Banking Sector Faces Challenges in Meeting March 2026 Compliance DeadlineThe Central Bank of UAE has issued a directive asking financial institutions to eliminate weak authentication methods including SMS and email OTPs. Banks are also expected to implement real-time fraud monitoring and suspend sessions when malicious activity is detected.

FIDO-Based Authentication to Replace SMS-Based Verification, Says UK NCSCThe U.K. government is set to replace SMS-based verification systems for digital services with passkeys later this year in a bid to shore-up cyber defenses. The authentication initiative is being developed by the U.K. National Cybersecurity Center using FIDO standards.

Attack Combines Social Engineering and Card Emulation to Execute Real-Time TheftHackers are using Chinese-speaking Android malware-as-a-service SuperCard X to carry out near-field communication relay attacks, siphoning payment card data and executing live point of sale and ATM transactions. Victims receive spoofed SMS or WhatsApp alerts purporting to originate from their bank.

AICD's Figueroa on Business-Focused Communication for Authentication ProgressModern phishing tactics now leverage voice, SMS and AI-powered impersonation, yet many Asia-Pacific organizations continue relying on vulnerable single-factor authentication, said Marco Figueroa, senior manager of cyber security, risk and compliance at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

SMS Impersonation Scam Victims Must Be Made WholeSingapore regulators gave banks six months to institute real-time detection tools for blocking impersonation scams or else assume liability for stolen funds. A finalized framework published Thursday also shifts liability onto island-nation telecoms unless they block fraudulent SMS messages

Modules Widely Deployed in Manufacturing, Telecommunications and Healthcare DevicesMultiple types of Telit Cinterion cellular modules for IoT and machine-to-machine devices, which are widely used across industrial, financial services, telecommunications and healthcare environments, are vulnerable to being remotely compromised via malicious SMS messages, security researchers warn.

Attackers Can Now Download, Alter and Delete Files - Plus Click, Scroll and SwipeThreat actors are sending SMS texts to trick banking customers into downloading new and improved Vultur banking malware that interacts with infected devices and alters files. Vultur typically misuses legitimate applications, enabling remote access to the VNC server on targeted devices.

Shutting the Door on SMS OTPHackers have found ways to intercept SMS messages, so companies must explore more secure MFA options to ensure their users' safety. Your smartphone can still hold some different answers for secure OTP, but undoubtedly, SMS OTP is no longer safe. It’s time to flip the switch.

All Organizations That Use X Should Review Their Two-Factor Authentication SettingsGoogle Cloud's Mandiant says its account at X, formerly Twitter, was hijacked and used to link to cryptocurrency phishing pages after an attacker guessed the account password, apparently after Twitter last year deactivated the account's SMS-based two-factor authentication, leaving it unprotected.