A multi-channel steganographic protocol for secure SMS mobile banking

Abstract

The advancement in mobile technologies and wireless communications has led to a rapidly growing number of users benefiting from mobile banking services. SMS banking offers a convenient mobile banking solution which is easy to implement and frequently used in many parts of the world. However, it is only viable under the assumption of secure SMS services. In this paper, a novel secure SMS banking protocol is proposed. The approach is based on a multi-channel security protocol combining low and high entropy steganography. One of the distinct advantages of this protocol is its confidentiality property against the mobile phone operator which, to our knowledge, is a novel feature. Furthermore, the required architecture is simple and only involves GSM services and one additional internet connection which can be insecure. As such it offers security, low deployment costs and would be suitable for example in rural areas or countries without individual secure home internet connections.