SMS Frameworks are important when choosing text message aggregation. Have you considered how and what your text message provider operates on? Are they facilities-based? Where are they? Do they own and do they operate their own server infrastructure? Alternatively, are they virtually hosted through AWS, or Azure, or some other cloud host service? Consider factors you need: security, reliability, suitability to your needs, support, and availability.
Consider that your SMS aggregator’s frameworks may be critical to your performance, and your contractual obligations to your clients.
Over the last decade, short message service (SMS), better known as text messaging, has evolved into a modern marketing solution that engages consumers and enhances the customer experience. With over 4.6 billion people owning a smartphone device worldwide, per Statista, SMS has provided an accessible way to connect with stakeholders instantly.
Why SMS Frameworks Are Important?
Identifying the best SMS frameworks for your text aggregation needs are crucial to your company’s communication infrastructure. The selected framework forms the foundation of your service and influences security, scalability and future adaptability.
There are two major Framework concerns, we will point out.
1. SMS Frameworks Location – Data Residency:
Where your SMS aggregator stores data at rest is dependant on where they are physically located. In facilities-based aggregators this is easier to understand with asking the location and scope of the data centre they are located. In virtually hosted services, the key in understanding vulnerability in Data Residency revolves around where the lower level Media Access Control systems are located. This manages and monitors the baseline operating systems – The Firmware. If the firmware is centrally deployed and it’s out of state or out of country, that completely undermines applications. The reason for this is fundamental. In the OSI Model, every one of the seven data layers is totally dependant on the layer(s) under it. This applies from the physical layer at the foundation, all the way through the application layer at the top. In many virtual cloud services, applications can be geographically zoned, but the baseline operating systems on the server farm(s) are centrally managed where the firmware is deployed.
The central security concern expressed on Huawei by Canadian and U.S. intelligence agencies is that firmware is not natively deployed, but done from China.
If data residency is a concern to you, or your customers, pay close attention to the physical location and management of firmware. By carefully evaluating different frameworks among a variety of SMS aggregators, you can make an informed decision on which one is best-suited for your business.
2. SMS Frameworks System/Service Maintenance
Once knowing the location of firmware, a framework that receives updates and security patches on a regular basis in addition to well-reviewed, supportive service. Securing these attributes will help to reduce the risk of potential vulnerabilities and ensure the system remains up-to-date with industry standards.
System Upgrade Adaptability
SMS aggregators should preferably offer systems that are flexible and adaptable. A tailored solution is vital for your business’s success. As technology rapidly advances, continuously upgraded systems allow you to seize modern opportunities with new features that enhance performance and address security loopholes.
An agile approach to adopting system upgrades lets your SMS aggregator evolve with the changing landscape, which future-proofs your investment and supports seamless compatibility with emerging technologies.
A superior SMS aggregator like Swift SMS Gateway, offers API code libraries that are current and is agnostic to client Operating System (OS), meaning it doesn’t matter what operating system your platform is using.
Evergreen Software
Ensuring your SMS aggregator adopts an evergreen software strategy will assure your systems are consistently up-to-date with the latest security measures and best practices. This involves providing regular updates, implementing security patches and actively monitoring the platform to assess crucial safeguarding components to protect your data against cyber threats.
An evergreen strategy helps to guarantee that your system stays on top of the latest security challenges and accordingly adapts to new standards. This software should also have procedures in place to address the following issues:
- System failure: In the event of a system failure where its availability, integrity or confidentiality is compromised, the active framework should failover to a secure state for recovery while the primary system undergoes repair.
- Security breaches: An organization’s security vulnerabilities are determined by the various sets of risks it faces. To ensure a consistent focus on the possible risks, frameworks should be able to continuously identify and manage emerging threats with regular updates and security protocols. Additionally, overall security shouldn’t rely on a single defense mechanism. If one security control gets compromised, other controls should be in place to resist the attack.
- Authentication and authorization: A stable framework should leverage straightforward verification protocols effectively to ensure that only authorized individuals can make informed access control decisions.
Moreso, a superior SMS aggregator like Swift SMS Gateway does not expose backdoors to their gateway network systems when customers do not not upgrade their software systems, or continue on with the mentality of “it isn’t broke, so don’t fix it”, and keep on using legacy software systems and calls that are dependent on orphaned OS systems that are prime targets for security vulnerabilities.
Sophisticated bridge proxies isolate legacy API calls and clients that are slow to migrate their own OS systems. The security and performance of the SMS Gateway is not held hostage by clients that have yet to adapt to system updates. This maintains the heart of a stable API framework.
In today’s post-COVID economy, there are a growing number of businesses that have fallen behind updating their OS softwares and systems, because of being resource strapped.
When choosing an SMS aggregator they must be totally agnostic to client OS vulnerabilities.
The Value of an Established SMS Aggregator
Unestablished SMS aggregators can negatively impact various aspects of your text message systems. For example, if you choose a cheap and cheerful SMS provider, you could face weakened security, shoehorned software integration and an inability to connect with customers due to lack of reach and deliverability.
That’s why collaborating with an SMS aggregator that is both system-agnostic and good at maintaining in-depth knowledge of telecommunication infrastructure can be greatly beneficial for your business. Their expertise should enable you to seamlessly integrate APIs within your existing systems, implement tailored security measures for heightened protection and provide a stable support network that enhances your communication strategy.
Financial Considerations for Updates
We understand that budget constraints can be a challenge, but neglecting updates for your SMS aggregator can create far more expensive consequences. Outdated software leaves your business vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches, which can detrimentally impact your brand reputation and lead to significant financial losses.
Always invest in and allocate appropriate resources for regular software updates and maintenance to protect your business from avoidable risks.
Selecting a framework that’s regularly maintained and supported prevents your SMS aggregator from becoming orphaned. This is when a framework lacks updates and security patches, making it susceptible to security risks and hindering your ability to deliver reliable services to your customers.
The Move to Hybrid Services
Businesses are increasingly embracing hybrid services, combining on-premises and cloud solutions for greater flexibility and scalability. An adaptable SMS aggregator that seamlessly integrates with both environments can ensure smooth communication across platforms, helping to maximize your reach and enhance the customer experience.
While the initial entry into the cloud may appear cost-effective, ongoing support and maintenance costs can add up. Plan for continuous support and security measures to assure a robust SMS aggregator that safeguards your business against potential cyber threats.
Addressing Non-Functional Components
Over time, certain components of your SMS framework may no longer function as expected. Aggregators that use traditional operating systems may have vulnerabilities known as “wormholes” that malicious actors aim to exploit.
However, when implemented with an API DDoS framework, SMS aggregators can offer full protection with no inherent wormholes or proxies for optimum security.
A Service You Can Rely On: Swift SMS Gateway
Data residency in Canada continues to be an important issue for companies and institutions that hold concern over the United States in two regards concerning their Privacy Act that provides statutory privacy rights and to protections only to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents (aka; “U.S. persons”) and Section 702 of their Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which provides no civil rights in regards to privacy to non-American citizens and seizure of private information without warrant. The history of this dates to the Patriot Act, post 911. The current incarnation of these issues is supported by President Biden and the US intelligence community regarding both domestic and foreign policy.
Firmware cannot be remotely upgraded outside of Canada by third-parties on Swift SMS Gateway Inc. We control all firmware upgrades.
However, even U.S. civil liberties organizations such as The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (aka: CFPB), and the American Civil Liberties Union have long opposed the reach of the U.S. Privacy Act, and Section 702, arguing that it is a “backdoor” tool for gathering personal information such as emails, phone calls, text and other personal communications without warrant.
See the following articles:
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stop-mass-warrantless-surveillance-end-section-702
In today’s interconnected world, security breaches have become more targeted and sophisticated. Safeguarding your SMS aggregator with robust security measures is essential for protecting sensitive data, maintaining customer trust and preserving your business’s reputation.
To sustain a clean and secure SMS aggregator, it’s best to adopt a proactive approach by conducting regular security audits and vulnerability assessments while staying updated with the latest security practices.
At Swift SMS Gateway, our API plans offer everything you’ll need for a stable framework. We support full database integration, custom message handling, scheduling and reporting to cater to your individual needs.
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