Cosmote – Vodafone collaboration on new security solutions

Cosmote Telekom and Vodafone are collaborating to introduce innovative network APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to provide businesses with seamless access to advanced security solutions to combat fraud and ensure secure digital experiences, as part of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.

These tools constitute a new category of services being developed internationally by the telecommunications industry, known as network APIs. Through them, applications and digital services can connect directly to mobile network functions and exploit data or capabilities that until now were only accessible to telecommunications providers.

In practice, these services are mainly aimed at banks, fintech companies, e-commerce companies and digital platforms that need reliable user identification and fraud prevention mechanisms.

The Number Verification API allows automatic confirmation that a user is the real owner of a mobile phone number during the connection process to a digital service. The confirmation is carried out directly through the mobile network and not through one-time codes sent by SMS. For example, a banking application can verify that the user attempting to log in is indeed the owner of the mobile number registered to their account, without requiring them to type in a password. This reduces the chances of OTPs being intercepted and the possibility of unauthorized access.

The second tool, the SIM Swap API, allows businesses to check whether a mobile phone number has recently been linked to a new SIM card. This information is considered critical for fraud prevention, as a common cyberattack scenario involves a third party swapping a user’s SIM so that the attacker can receive verification codes sent to the mobile phone. In such a case, a bank or digital service can detect that a SIM change has recently occurred and trigger additional checks before approving a transaction or allowing access to an account.