Those who operated the WiFi network real-name certification system probably experienced confusion: SMS code bills were twice or more than expected, but there was no significant increase in user numbers."I'm gonna have to pay for the text."Where it is spent, often a log-trawling exercise is needed to clarify and then find out that a significant proportion of this is avoidable.
The cost of text message authentication codes is more complicated than expected.
Many people, when calculating the operating costs of WiFi's network real name certification system, simply estimate text message costs as"Average daily authentication times single text-mail price"But the reality is that the cost of texting is much more complex than this.
The first problem is the re-issuing of the authentication code. After entering a mobile phone number on Portal, users click to send the authentication code, but because of network delays, slow page responses or cellular signal problems, they do not receive text messages in time, and then do so again or even three times. Each click triggers a text message delivery, which is calculated as the first success rate, but the cost of all three texts has been cut off. If no reasonable interval limits are made (e.g. only one can be sent within 60 seconds), this part of the duplicated dispatch may account for 20 to 40 per cent of the total.
The second problem is the invalid cell number. Some users enter the wrong cell phone number (which may be intentional or miso-operational) at authentication, and send a text message as usual, but this text goes to an unexistent number or to someone else's cell phone. Invalid number dispatch not only generates costs, it can trigger operators."Organisation"Test, affect the credibility of the text channel.
The third is the black brush. The WiFi network real name authentication system text message interfaces are easy to use for a black product without adequate protection.——You can request a lot of scripts to send text messages to random cell numbers. The cost of such attacks is almost zero, and the injured party pays for each text message sent.
Variance in operator access rates
SMS certification codes are usually sent through third-party SMS providers, and prices vary widely from service providers. The market SMS providers fall into three broad categories: straight-link operators (high prices, high arrival rates, low delays), relays (medium price, uneven stability), and low prices (lowest but unstable arrival rates, sometimes without access to text messages).
The cost of using low-cost access to WiFi network real name certification systems, often resulting from user complaints about arrival rates——"I didn't get the code.", the user re-sends it again, generating more costs and creating a vicious circle. In terms of full cycle cost, the total cost of selecting a stable medium-to-high end channel is not necessarily higher than the lower price route.
Another often overlooked problem is"Texting marketing class"and"Certification code class"Most platforms have exclusive rates for SMS (usually 6-digit, 5-minute validity) that are lower than marketing-type. If the system sends SMS in an irregular form (e.g. with branded content), they may be classified as sales text messages by operators, applying higher rates, and facing the risk of being blocked.
Costs that can be reduced at the technical level
WiFi network real name certification systems have a number of tools in technical design that can reduce the cost of text messages, but not all systems are opened by default.
The first means is the device’s fingerprinting or MAC address memory. For devices that have been certified by a real name, they can skip the SMS authentication code process and use historical authentication information directly to complete the certification.
The second means is a graphic authentication code prefix. Before the user clicks on the text message authentication code, it requires validation by the Graphics Authentication Code (CAPTCHA) to effectively intercept script batch requests. The graphic authentication code itself has very low cost but has a clear protection against brush attacks.
The third means is to send frequency limits and cooling mechanisms. The same cell number can be sent no more than a unit time, after which it will have to wait for some time. This strategy is binding on both real users and black products, effectively reducing duplicates.
The fourth means is a backup authentication. In cases where SMS channels are expensive or there are problems with the operator's access, alternative methods such as two-dimensional code scanning and micromail authorization certification are provided to allow some users to complete their authentication without texting and reduce SMS dependency.
Monthly monitoring of texting costs
Many operators of WiFi's network real name certification system have begun to focus on this issue after a cost overrun, but rather through the establishment of monthly monitoring mechanisms. The core indicators are three: total monthly text messaging, success rate (for measuring access quality), and per capita certified SMS consumption (for detecting abnormal requests).
If there is an abrupt increase in the consumption of certified text messages per capita, it may be that the problem of swipe attacks or re-enactment of the code is magnifying; if the success rate of sending falls, it will probably be a matter of channel quality and require a switch to alternative channels. Looking at these three indicators regularly is much more aggressive than waiting for quarterly bills to come up and find overexpenditures.
The costs of text message from WiFi's network real name certification system can be managed, but protection mechanisms need to be considered at the design stage and surveillance practices established during the operational phase."It's just a small amount of money."The operators, too, are often the ones who later lost control over costs.