SPIT

Short for spam over Internet telephony, SPIT is a form of spam that targets VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) communication systems. Consequently, it is also called VoIP spam. SPIT can be disruptive and annoying, sometimes more so than its e-mail counterpart because it's a phone call.

To explain further, VoIP allows voice communication and multimedia sessions over the Internet, providing an alternative to traditional telephone networks. SPIT involves disseminating unwanted, irrelevant, or unsolicited voice messages over VoIP networks. These messages are often intended to reach many users and may include advertisements, phishing attempts, or other scams.

How to protect against SPIT

Below are several countermeasures to help protect against SPIT.

• Call Filtering - Like e-mail spam filters, VoIP systems can employ techniques to identify and block known problem numbers.
• Whitelists and Blacklists - Assigning names and numbers to lists gives users more control over the types of calls they receive.
• CAPTCHAs and Challenge-Response Systems - These systems can ensure that the caller is a human rather than an automated system attempting to flood the network with spam.
• Behavioral Analysis - AI (artificial intelligence) can evaluate call patterns to help identify suspicious activity and block potential SPIT attacks.
• Legal Measures - Some regions have taken legal measures to address SPIT, like regulations against e-mail spam and telemarketing.

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