What are they and how do they work when verifying that the message you receive is from who it says it is?

Let’s explain to you What are verified SMS and how do they work?a technology that verifies that whoever sends you a message is who they say they are. This is something that has been around for a few years now, but we are going to see it more and more to fight fraud and scams.

Let’s start by explaining to you in a simple way first the concept of these messages, so that you understand why it is important that they be normalized and used more and more. Then, we will also tell you in an understandable way how they work.

What are verified SMS and what are they for?

One of the most popular online frauds and scams out there is smishingwhich is a type of phishing in which a cybercriminal sends fraudulent SMS messages in bulk posing as a company. In these messages, attach a link or false information with which to start a process to steal your data, your online service accounts and even money.

This has caused trust in the SMS we receive from companies to erode. In fact, when we receive communication through this method, the recommended thing today is not to trust it. And of course, this makes this type of notice no longer meaningful.

And this is where verified SMS come into play, although they are not really SMS but rather messages that use the RCS protocol. In them, companies and entities can show an indicator that indicates them as an official channel or account. In Spain, BBVA or Bankinter has been one of the first large banks to start using this method.

This way, when you receive a text message on your mobile, you will be able to distinguish when it was actually sent by an entity that has verified its identity and when it is an unidentified one. Thus, if your bank has its account verified when it sends you messages and you receive an unverified one, you will know that there is something strange, even if the name is the same.

How verified messages work

Verified messages are sent using RCS protocol. RCS are a type of messages that are sent like SMS and reach you in the same place as regular SMS, but with advanced functions such as sending photos, audio, creating groups, etc. It is a alternative to WhatsApp integrated directly into your messages application, both on Android and iPhone. In Spain, it is already a protocol that works with almost all operators.

Regarding the company verification processaccording to the standard defined by the GSMA Entities have to complete a process before sending messages that appear as verified.

First, the entity must register its identity with name and logo, and submit them to an external certification by a third party that validates that the entity can use that name and logo. This verification company must be included in the trusted list of the recipient’s operator.

Those who verify the identity of the entities that want to send these messages are those known as Verification Authorities. These can be mobile operators, private companies specialized in digital verification or even government entities. The verification authorities They depend on each country and its deployment of this technology.

Therefore, let’s take the case of Bankinter, which has been verified by Movistar. When this bank sends you a text message, it will do so with the RCS protocol. And since your operator recognizes Movistar as a valid verification authority, and Movistar has verified that the message comes from Bankinter, the message that you receive from the bank will have the verification badge.

But there is one last step that your messaging application takes. Because when you receive the message, your app automatically downloads the sender’s profile and runs a series of technical checks before displaying the verification badge. It will even check if the verification signature is still valid with new messages.

So, a complex verification chain is generated with several steps, and only when all of them are completed will the message appear as from a verified sender. This way, even if a cybercriminal manages to breach the security of one of the steps, there are still others. These are all protocols for sending verified messages within the RCS standard.

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