In an attempt to address the growing concerns around fraudulent and spam calls, SecureG, a root of trust provider, has joined forces with CTIA, a trade association representing the wireless communications industry, to launch an initiative focused on creating a secure branded call experience for businesses.
The collaboration between SecureG and CTIA has led to the development of Branded Calling ID (BCID), a Rich Call Data project that aims to establish a secure and interoperable ecosystem for businesses to communicate with consumers over the phone. With BCID, businesses can embed information such as their logos and the reason for their call, providing consumers with more transparency and assurance when receiving calls.
According to Todd Warble, CTO of SecureG, the prevalence of spam and scam calls, exacerbated by advances in AI technology that allow for impersonation, has made consumers hesitant to answer their phones. BCID, with its secure-by-design foundation, seeks to instill trust in consumers by verifying the authenticity of the caller’s identity and intentions, Warble explained.
Key to the implementation of BCID is SecureG’s public key infrastructure (PKI) solutions, which secure the digital signatures associated with branded calls. By securing the caller’s brand identity through the CTIA Secure Telephone Identity Certification Authority (CTIA STI-CA) and other certification entities, SecureG enables businesses to authenticate their calls and ensure that they are delivered securely.
In addition to enhancing trust and security for consumers, BCID also aims to combat fraudulent activities by preventing scammers and spammers from accessing NCID signing certificates. By leveraging secure trust anchors housed in hardened concrete bunkers, BCID establishes a framework for authenticating participants and transmitting branded calls across different networks and mobile devices.
The adoption of BCID is expected to have a significant impact on reducing the prevalence of fraud and spam calls, which often involve bad actors impersonating legitimate businesses. A recent survey highlighted the importance of authentication for consumers, with three-quarters of respondents expressing willingness to answer calls from authenticated sources displaying a name, logo, or reason for the call.
Overall, BCID represents a crucial step towards fostering a more secure and trustworthy communication environment for businesses and consumers alike. By vetting and authenticating branded calls, the initiative seeks to mitigate the risks associated with fraudulent activities, ultimately delivering a more positive and reliable call experience for all parties involved.