STIR/SHAKEN: The End of Phone Spoofing?

Phone number spoofing is a plague: fake bank advisor scams, telemarketing with falsified numbers, various frauds. The technological response is called STIR/SHAKEN. But will it really change everything?

What is STIR/SHAKEN?

STIR/SHAKEN is a set of technical protocols developed in the United States to authenticate the origin of phone calls.

• STIR (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited) — Technical authentication standard
• SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs) — Implementation framework

How it works

1. The originating carrier digitally signs the call with a certificate
2. This signature attests that the displayed number is legitimate
3. The receiving carrier verifies the signature before presenting the call
4. If the signature is invalid or absent, the call can be blocked or flagged

MAN: The French version

In France, ARCEP developed MAN (Number Authentication Mechanism), inspired by STIR/SHAKEN but adapted to the European context.

Deployment timeline

Impact for legitimate call centers

Good news

• Less unfair competition — Fraudsters can no longer spoof your numbers
• Better reputation — Your authenticated calls will be better perceived
• Restored trust — Consumers will answer more

Constraints

• Technical compliance — Your systems must support MAN
• Number verification — Each number used must be legitimate and declared

Will STIR/SHAKEN kill spam?

What it solves

• Scams with number spoofing
• Use of non-existent numbers
• Massive robocall fraud

What it does NOT solve

• Legal but abusive telemarketing
• User reports — Your number can be legitimate and still flagged
• Phone reputation

FAQ

Is STIR/SHAKEN mandatory in France?

MAN (French equivalent) is becoming progressively mandatory. ARCEP imposes deadlines on carriers.

Will spoofing disappear completely?

Number spoofing yes. But phone spam with legitimate numbers will persist.