SMS bombing, also known as SMS flooding, involves sending a large volume of text messages to a target phone number in a short period. This can have several negative effects on mobile phone systems:
System Overload: The sudden influx of messages can overwhelm the phone's messaging app and storage, causing slowdowns or crashes. For example, if a phone receives hundreds of SMS messages per minute, the messaging app may freeze or become unresponsive.
Battery Drain: Processing and storing a high volume of messages consumes significant battery power, reducing the phone's battery life.
Storage Issues: If the messages are not automatically deleted, they can quickly fill up the phone's storage, leading to insufficient space for other apps or data.
Network Congestion: SMS bombing can also strain the mobile network, affecting not just the target but potentially other users on the same network.
Security Risks: Attackers may use SMS bombing as a distraction while attempting phishing or other malicious activities. For instance, while the user is overwhelmed by messages, they might miss a legitimate alert about suspicious account activity.
To mitigate such attacks, services like Tencent Cloud's SMS Protection can help by filtering and blocking malicious SMS traffic, ensuring secure and reliable messaging for users.