A new commercial service leveraging the APIs was today launched by the operators as part of the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative.
The two network APIs are available in the CAMARA standard, an open-source project within Linux Foundation to define, develop and test the GSMA’s APIs.
By bringing these network capabilities to developers and enterprises, the three German operators can help them tackle online fraud and protect the digital identities of customers.
For example, identification for logging in to user accounts of websites and apps can now run automatically in the background via number verification instead of two-factor authentication, where customers receive a one-time password by SMS and must manually enter it.
Vonage, Ericsson’s Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) platform is already working with C2C ecommerce platform Vinted to integrate the new APIs.
“Ericsson and Vonage are leading the development of a global network platform by opening the network for third-party developers to make capabilities universally available for further innovation,” said Savinay Berry, EVP of product and engineering for Vonage.
“With developers thriving from a well-built and supported API platform, enterprises can grow from new, unique and customisable API innovations while communication service providers benefit from network monetisation and growth opportunities. We are committed to making CAMARA successful and aim to be a driver of the future evolution of CAMARA,” Berry added.
The number verify app will be used to verify a user’s mobile number by providing the next generation of strong authentication and user experience.
The GSMA describes it as a simple evolution path for any business that uses mobile numbers and SMS One-Time-Passwords.
SIM Swap is available for developer’s preview and will be used to check whether a given phone number has recently changed SIM cards.
This helps mitigate account takeover attacks, in which fraudsters take control of the account owner’s SIM card using social engineering techniques and stolen personal data.
For example, at the time of a financial transaction, a financial institution can check whether the relationship between the customer’s phone number and SIM Card has been recently changed, helping them decide whether to approve the transaction or not.
“Online security and fraud are major challenges that we all need to overcome as an industry for customers to feel safe and for the market to flourish. It’s fantastic, therefore, to see Germany’s operators come together with technology partners and online commerce platforms to tackle this threat, through the Open Gateway initiative,” said Henry Calvert, head of networks at GSMA.
