Detection of sms spam

Abstract

A method and system for identifying short message service (SMS) spammers identifies senders as spammers by determining that the senders are sending SMS messages to devices included in a grey phone space. Devices in the grey phone space are identified using various methods including an analysis of call detail records. A grey ratio for a sender is determined as a ratio of messages sent to grey phone numbers by the sender to messages sent to all phone numbers by the sender. A sender is identified based on a difference between the grey ratio for the sender and a second grey ratio being above a threshold.

1 . A method, comprising:
 retrieving, by a server, electronic records associated a text message;   comparing, by the server, the electronic records to network addresses, the network addresses associated with devices lacking a capability to receive short messaging service text messages; and   determining, by the server, that the text message is spam in response to the electronic records matching at least one of the network addresses associated with the devices lacking the capability to receive the short messaging service text messages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising retrieving call records as the electronic records associated the text message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising comparing an originating number to the network addresses. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising retrieving grey phone numbers as the network addresses. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a grey ratio associated with an originating number associated with the text message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a terminating number associated with the text message. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising determining that the terminating number is associated with a data-only device. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to facilitate a performance of operations, the operations comprising:   retrieving electronic records associated a text message;   comparing the electronic records to network addresses, the network addresses associated with devices lacking a capability to receive short messaging service text messages; and   determining that the text message is spam in response to the electronic records matching at least one of the network addresses associated with the devices lacking the capability to receive the short messaging service text messages.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving call records as the electronic records associated the text message. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise comparing an originating number to the network addresses. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving grey phone numbers as the network addresses. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a grey ratio associated with an originating number associated with the text message. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a terminating number associated with the text message. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise determining that the terminating number is associated with a data-only device. 
     
     
         15 . A machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 retrieving electronic records associated a text message;   comparing the electronic records to network addresses, the network addresses associated with devices lacking a capability to receive short messaging service text messages; and   determining that the text message is spam in response to the electronic records matching at least one of the network addresses associated with the devices lacking the capability to receive the short messaging service text messages.   
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving call records as the electronic records associated the text message. 
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise comparing an originating number to the network addresses. 
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving grey phone numbers as the network addresses. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a grey ratio associated with an originating number associated with the text message. 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a terminating number associated with the text message.