What Is Secure SMS? Best Practices Explained

Businesses sending text messages to customers shouldn't underestimate the importance of security when exchanging sensitive information.

With the increasing number of scams, it’s essential that all customer data shared via text messages is sent securely.

In a nutshell, you need to send secure SMS messages. 

For one, sending decrypted messages ensures that the data cannot be accessed by outside parties.

This serves to protect customers' personal and financial information from potential misuse or theft during business text messaging.

Businesses should also take steps to safeguard customer data by using two-factor authentication.

This approach requires customers to provide an additional form of identification, such as using an SMS authentication service, along with the traditional method.

What Does Secure SMS Mean?

Secure SMS refers to a messaging service that uses end-to-end encryption, ensuring data is readable only by the intended recipient.

This encryption protects sensitive information from eavesdroppers, hackers, and other malicious actors.

Unlike other messaging services, secure SMS keeps messages private.

It is crucial for financial transactions, SMS marketing, reminders, and alerts.

Why Is Secure Text Messaging Important?

Secure text messaging is crucial for protecting sensitive information in today's digital age.

It ensures that private data, whether personal or business-related, remains confidential and is only accessible to intended recipients.

By using encryption and secure transmission protocols, secure text messaging guards against unauthorized access, hacking, and data breaches.

This is especially important for industries such as healthcare, finance, and legal services, where the confidentiality of communications is paramount.

Additionally, secure text messaging helps maintain trust between parties and comply with regulatory requirements.

It also prevents potential financial and reputational damage caused by data leaks.

Common SMS Security Threats

SIM Swapping and SIM Cloning

Attackers can hijack phone numbers through SIM swap attacks by impersonating the victim and convincing mobile carriers to issue a new SIM card.

This redirects SMS messages and calls to the attacker’s device.

This method allows them to intercept security codes sent via SMS, potentially gaining access to sensitive accounts like banking and email​​.

Phishing and Spoofing

SMS can be used in phishing attacks where attackers send messages pretending to be from trusted entities, tricking recipients into clicking malicious links or revealing personal information.

These attacks exploit the inherent trust in SMS communication, leading to the disclosure of sensitive data or installation of malware on the victim’s device​.

Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

Attackers can intercept SMS messages by setting up fake cell towers, which trick phones into connecting to them instead of legitimate towers.

This method allows attackers to eavesdrop on SMS communications, capturing sensitive information without the user’s knowledge​.

Your SMS provider should offer multiple solutions to make business communications secure and educate their clients on how to send and receive SMS messages securely.

Ensuring robust security measures and providing comprehensive training can significantly reduce the risks associated with SMS-based communications.

Best Practices for Secure Text Messaging

Use Encrypted Messaging Services

To ensure message security, organizations should choose an SMS provider that offers encryption.

This scrambles data before transmission, protecting it from unauthorized access.

Secure messaging platforms provide additional security features such as access control and administrative controls to limit who can access them. 

Limit the Type of Information Sent Through SMS

Businesses should avoid sending sensitive data, such as passwords and financial information, via SMS unless the communication is encrypted. 

Generate Unique Passcodes for Each User

Businesses should implement unique OTPs for each user account to provide an additional layer of protection for messages.

If OTPs are shared, you should change them regularly and remind users not to share them with others.

Monitor Access to Messages

On top of that, companies should monitor access to messages and logs to ensure that only authorized users are accessing them.

Any attempts to access messages without consent should be flagged as suspicious activity.

Educate Users on Security Risks

Educate users on potential security risks to help them understand the importance of maintaining secure practices when handling sensitive information.

Providing regular training, including GDPR compliance, can empower users to recognize and mitigate threats, ensuring overall data protection.

Role-Based Access Control

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is a critical security measure that ensures only authorized personnel can access sensitive information.

By defining roles within an organization and assigning access permissions based on these roles, businesses can effectively manage who has access to specific data and resources.

This approach minimizes the risk of data breaches by restricting access to those who need it for their job functions​.

Compliance vs. Security

While compliance and security are often mentioned together, they serve different purposes.

Compliance involves adhering to specific regulations and standards, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

These regulations set guidelines for how businesses should handle customer data to ensure privacy and protection​​.

Achieving compliance is mandatory to avoid legal penalties and demonstrate a commitment to data protection.

On the other hand, security encompasses a broader range of practices aimed at protecting data from unauthorized access and cyber threats.

While being compliant can help enhance security, it does not guarantee it.

CPaaS providers and business text platforms must implement robust security measures, such as encryption, regular security audits, and employee training, to safeguard their SMS communications fully.

Therefore, while compliance is a crucial aspect of data protection, it should be viewed as a component of a comprehensive security strategy rather than a standalone solution​​.

Secure Texting with Dexatel

Dexatel provides a secure, reliable, and innovative solution for you to stay connected with your customers through SMS.

We utilize advanced encryption technologies to ensure that all messages sent and received are private.

This helps protect the privacy of customers and businesses and ensures that their information is not exposed to external parties.