The 911 system is a critical public safety lifeline, connecting those in need of urgent help with emergency responders. These systems must work flawlessly, since any disruption can have life-and-death consequences. Unfortunately, 911 services are increasingly vulnerable to a type of attack that is more commonly associated with cyberspace: the denial of service attack. Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS) attacks specifically target telephone systems, overwhelming them with a flood of malicious calls and preventing legitimate calls from getting through.
In a 911 center TDoS attack, the system is bombarded with fake calls, preventing genuine emergency calls from reaching a 911 operator. These attacks can be devastating, especially if they coincide with other emergencies, physical threats, or terrorist attacks. To protect against TDoS attacks, 911 centers must deploy robust security measures like 911 call authentication, advanced call filtering software, and TDoS protection solutions. By strengthening telecom security and collaborating with service providers, 911 centers can stay resilient and available despite a wide range of threats.
How 911 Center TDoS Attacks Work
Common methods used in 911 center TDoS attacks include:
- Automated Dialers These systems are specifically designed to generate a continuous stream of calls to targeted phone numbers. Automated dialers can sustain attacks for prolonged periods, causing significant disruption to telephony systems like 911 centers with minimal effort from the attackers.
- Botnets Botnets are a network of devices like computers and mobile phones that have been infected with malware which lets attackers control them remotely and launch large-scale attacks. In the case of a 911 center TDoS attack, hackers instruct thousands of botnet devices to make calls simultaneously. Botnets are especially dangerous because they can place calls from multiple geographic locations, making it more challenging to detect and mitigate these fake calls.
- Caller ID Spoofing Attackers manipulate the caller ID information to disguise the origin of their calls. By using fake or randomized phone numbers, they make it difficult for 911 center operators and telecom providers to trace and block the incoming calls. This method also enables attackers to bypass basic call-blocking measures and prolong the attack.
- Software Exploitation Attackers target vulnerabilities in inbound call center software-—systems designed to handle large volumes of calls—to cause significant slowdowns or crashes, exacerbating the impact of their TDoS attack.
Why Attackers Target 911 Centers
911 centers are attractive targets for attackers because of the critical role these services play in public safety. Motivations for these attacks include:
- Disruption of Public Services Attackers aim to create widespread panic and chaos by making emergency services inaccessible. This tactic can amplify the impact of other emergencies, such as natural disasters or physical attacks, where immediate communication is essential.
- Extortion Criminals use TDoS attacks to demand ransom, threatening to continue or escalate the attack unless their financial demands are met. This form of extortion exploits the critical nature of emergency services and the urgency of restoring access to 911 services.
- Political or Ideological Objectives TDoS attacks may be launched as a form of protest or sabotage, where attackers target emergency services to make a political statement or create disruption. This type of attack often coincides with other events designed to draw attention to the attackers’ cause.
- Entertainment In some cases, attackers launch TDoS attacks purely for personal amusement or notoriety. For instance, in 2016, a teenager in Phoenix, Arizona, who orchestrated a 911 center TDoS attack was seemingly motivated by bragging rights. This act disrupted critical services in several states and showed how easily these attacks could be launched with simple tools.
The Impact of 911 Center TDoS Attacks
The effects of a 911 center TDoS attack can be severe and devastating.
- Delayed Emergency Responses Legitimate emergency calls cannot get through, putting lives at risk. Delays in connecting with emergency responders can lead to dire outcomes for victims in life-threatening situations such as heart attacks, fires, or violent crimes. Every second counts in an emergency, and TDoS attacks rob responders of the ability to act quickly.
- Strain on Operators During 911 center TDoS attacks, operators struggle to identify and filter legitimate calls from malicious ones. This process can cause significant stress, leading to exhaustion among staff.
- Public Safety Risks In worst-case scenarios, a TDoS attack coordinated with a physical attack or natural disaster can amplify the consequences. For example, during a large-scale crisis like a hurricane or terrorist attack, disrupting emergency communications could lead to widespread confusion, slower evacuations, and higher casualty counts.
Protecting Against 911 Center TDoS Attacks
Preventing 911 center TDoS attacks requires multiple layers of security and best practices.
- Call Authentication Authentication verifies the legitimacy of incoming calls by checking their origin and credentials. By implementing call authentication systems, 911 centers can block suspicious or spoofed calls before they reach operators. This reduces the risk of malicious calls disrupting emergency services and provides an additional layer of security for legitimate communications.
- Call Filtering Software These advanced tools analyze call patterns in real time, identifying and blocking calls that exhibit suspicious behavior. For instance, repeated calls from the same number or calls that mimic known attack patterns can be flagged and filtered out. Call filtering software not only helps mitigate TDoS attacks but also reduces the burden on human operators, allowing them to focus on genuine emergencies.
- TDoS Protection Solutions Specialized TDoS protection systems are designed to detect and neutralize threats as they occur. These solutions monitor incoming traffic, identify unusual call volumes, and automatically deploy countermeasures to block malicious activity. By acting in real time, TDoS protection systems ensure minimal disruption to emergency services.
- Telecom Security Enhancements Strengthening telecom networks with advanced firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encrypted communication channels is essential for preventing unauthorized access. Regular security audits and updates to telecom infrastructure help to create more resilient defenses against evolving threats.
- Collaboration With Telecom Providers Effective TDoS mitigation requires close cooperation between 911 centers and their telecom providers. Providers can help by tracing the origins of malicious calls, blocking traffic from known attack sources, and implementing network-wide protections. Strong partnerships between public safety organizations and telecom companies are critical to maintaining secure and reliable communication channels.
SecureLogix: Advanced Solutions for Call Security, Authentication, and Trust
SecureLogix is a trusted provider of telephony technology for some of the world’s largest and most complex voice networks and contact centers. Our leading solutions help these businesses navigate the changing landscape of call security and trust. As the only vendor with a single, unified solution set for the full range of voice security and call center threats that threaten the enterprise today, we help our customers reduce costs, maximize revenue, and restore trust in phone communications.
Solutions for Defending Against 911 Center TDoS Attacks
We provide solutions designed to mitigate 911 Center TDoS attacks in several ways.
Authenticating Callers
SecureLogix® Orchestra One™ mitigates 911 Center TDoS attacks by verifying inbound calls before they are answered by 911 operators. In contrast to competing solutions, Orchestra One™ authenticates calls at the lowest-possible per-call cost. Dynamically orchestrating multiple zero-cost and low-cost metadata services as well as thousands of call details and real-time carrier network metadata, Orchestra One™ assigns a high-value risk score to each call, preventing malicious calls from reaching operators.
Key Benefits for 911 Centers
- Robust Protection Orchestra One™ effectively blocks a wide range of call center threats, including TDoS attacks and fraudulent calls.
- Reduced Costs Orchestra One™ authenticates calls at prices roughly 50% less than competitors.
Blocking Attacks
SecureLogix® Call Defense™ System blocks 911 Center TDoS attacks with a voice firewall that sits at the edge of a voice network to sort good traffic from bad in real time. Providing real-time visibility and control of all voice calls into and out of a 911 center, the Call Defense™ System also includes a voice intrusion prevention system (IPS), a malicious callers database (Red List), and forensic reporting. This SecureLogix technology is also available as a fully managed service – Call Secure™ – administered by the most experienced call security service team in the business.
Key Features
- Call Firewall Provides enterprise-wide call visibility and unified security policy enforcement. Prevents malicious attacks with alerting, blocking, and/or redirection.
- Call Intrusion Prevention Detects call patterns attacks and identifies anomalies. Enforces call volume thresholds and traffic velocity limits to block TDoS attacks.
- Reporting Forensics Offers scheduled and ad hoc reports on voice network usage, CDR analytics, and attack/fraud forensics.
FAQ
Q: What is a 911 TDoS attack? A 911 TDoS attack is a targeted disruption where attackers flood emergency phone systems with fake calls, overwhelming the system and preventing real emergencies from getting through. This type of attack is particularly dangerous as it jeopardizes public safety and delays critical emergency responses.
Q: Can call filtering software completely stop TDoS attacks? While not foolproof, call filtering software significantly reduces the impact by identifying and blocking suspicious activity.
Q: How do TDoS attacks differ from traditional distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks? While DDoS attacks target data networks to overwhelm websites or servers, TDoS attacks focus on telephony systems, flooding them with illegitimate calls to block real communication.
Q: Can 911 centers detect an incoming TDoS attack before it fully disrupts their systems? Advanced solutions like call filtering software and real-time monitoring can identify suspicious call patterns early, allowing operators to mitigate the impact before the system is overwhelmed.
Q: Can legitimate calls be flagged as suspicious during a TDoS attack? Sophisticated systems like SecureLogix solutions assign risk scores to calls, ensuring legitimate calls are prioritized while highly suspicious calls are blocked or redirected.
Q: How do attackers acquire and control botnets used for TDoS attacks? Botnets are typically created by infecting devices with malware, often through phishing emails or unsecured internet connections, giving attackers remote control over those devices.
Q: Are TDoS attacks against 911 centers illegal? Yes, initiating TDoS attacks is a criminal offense, often prosecuted under federal laws in the U.S., with severe penalties including imprisonment and hefty fines.