Neighbor Spoofing in Spam Calls: Cybersecurity Risks and Effective Defense Mechanisms

Neighbor spoofing in spam calls, where attackers mimic local phone numbers to increase response rates, poses significant privacy and security risks. In Indonesia, spam calls surged to 25.8 million in January 2021, with users receiving an average of 14 spam calls monthly. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores the impact of neighbor spoofing and evaluates the effectiveness of defense mechanisms, specifically the STIR/SHAKEN protocol, in the Indonesian telecommunications context. Findings indicate that while STIR/SHAKEN offers promising potential to reduce spoofing, its adoption faces challenges, with only 17% of telecom providers fully implementing it, 27% partially implementing it, and 56% relying on alternative methods. This study proposes strategic recommendations to enhance user trust and strengthen defenses against the pervasive threat of neighbor spoofing in spam calls.