Apple drops the ball implementing SHAKEN/STIR framework in iOS 13

[Cal Jeffrey]

Facepalm: Robocalls are annoying, but fortunately, some networks are beginning to implement SHAKEN/STIR technology to fight them. Unfortunately, smartphone makers are part of the equation, and Apple has failed to implement call verification in a useful way.

SHAKEN/STIR is a call authentication framework that is supposed to verify if the numbers coming in are spoofed or not. The FCC is pushing carriers to have the technology put in place by the end of the year. So far, only AT&T and T-Mobile have working systems in the US.

However, for the system to function properly, cell phones have to be able to identify the signal from the SHAKEN/STIR network. Android has already made updates that notify users if a call has been “verified” before they answer.

The Verge notes that with the release of iOS 13, Apple has updated the operating system to identify authenticated calls. However, it does not display a verification as the phone is ringing.The only way to know if a number is real is to either answer or let it ring through to voicemail, and then look in the call log to see if the caller has a checkmark, indicating it is a verified number.

Since pulling up the log is after-the-fact, it somewhat defeats the purpose of the system. Of course, it does beat not having it at all, but Apple certainly should reconsider its current verification method.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/81997-apple-drops-ball-implementing-shakenstir-framework-ios-13.html

 

[netman]

I think this will come in iOS 13.1 due end of this month...

 

[Uncle Al]

You know, if it wasn't so darn pathetic it would give me a good belly laugh!

 

[GregonMaui]

"The FCC is pushing carriers to have the technology put in place by the end of the year. So far, only AT&T and T-Mobile have working systems in the US." - Kind of says it all. Not there yet. Kind of pathetic article, it's hard to drop the ball on an alert system that is not developed, not defined and not implemented yet. If some in-depth reporting was done, you'd probably find that even ATT and T-Mobile are not fully functional yet either.

 

[Udelh579]

But they have a nice camera and a “pro” badge in the name. I think it’s far better than some acronym mumbo-jumbo.

 

[Kibaruk]

Something else I found laughably implemented, is the log for data consumption, you can't set it for your billing period, it's forever?! Unless you go in and reset it month by month you can't get stats of what is draining your mobile data.

"The FCC is pushing carriers to have the technology put in place by the end of the year. So far, only AT&T and T-Mobile have working systems in the US." - Kind of says it all. Not there yet. Kind of pathetic article, it's hard to drop the ball on an alert system that is not developed, not defined and not implemented yet. If some in-depth reporting was done, you'd probably find that even ATT and T-Mobile are not fully functional yet either.

I'll reply your quote with a quote.

SHAKEN/STIR is a call authentication framework that is supposed to verify if the numbers coming in are spoofed or not

It's an authentication framework that already exists, and it's already implemented and working for Android phones, and actually it's working as well for Apple phones, however not in a way that is actually useful, and the reason why this is a newsworthy topic: They completely blew it by making something that does work but doesn't in a useful way.