Systems and methods for proactive call spam/scam protection using network extensions

1. A computer-implemented method for proactive call spam/scam protection, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

intercepting network traffic by the at least one processor employing a network extension feature of an operating system of the computing device;

capturing, by the at least one processor employing the network extension feature, a phone number in the network traffic;

comparing, by the at least one processor employing the network extension feature, the phone number to a plurality of entries in a spam/scam repository; and

performing, by the at least one processor, a security action in response to the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the phone number includes capturing the phone number for a payment transaction in the network traffic, and the security action includes preventing the payment transaction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the phone number includes capturing the phone number for a call in the network traffic, and the security action includes employing the network extension feature to deny a network connection for the call.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network extension feature is implemented using an iOS operating system network extension framework.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the network extension feature is implemented as a content filter of the iOS network extension framework.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising receiving, by a filter data provider of the content filter, configuration information that includes the spam/scam repository.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the security action further includes:

communicating a prompt to a user of the computing device; and

receiving a user input indicating a user selection responsive to the prompt,

wherein performance of the security action occurs in response to the user selection.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the prompt informs the user that an outgoing payment transaction to the phone number is may be a payment to a scammer and prompts the user to make the user selection to allow or prevent the outgoing payment transaction.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the prompt informs the user that a call in the network traffic may be a spam or scam call and prompts the user to make the user selection to allow or prevent the call.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the security action further includes:

making a determination that the user selection indicates that the user wishes to prevent the call; and

denying a network connection in response to the determination that the user wishes to prevent the call.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network traffic includes at least one of messaging application traffic or social application traffic.

12. A system for proactive call spam/scam protection, the system comprising:

at least one physical processor employing a network extension feature of an operating system;

physical memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the physical processor, cause the physical processor to:

intercept network traffic;

capture a phone number in the network traffic;

compare the phone number to a plurality of entries in a spam/scam repository; and

perform a security action in response to the comparison.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions that cause the physical processor to capture the phone number include instructions that cause the physical processor to capture the phone number for a payment transaction in the network traffic, and the security action includes preventing the payment transaction.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions that cause the physical processor to capture the phone number include instructions that cause the physical processor to capture the phone number for a call in the network traffic, and the security action includes employing the network extension feature to deny a network connection for the call.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network extension feature is implemented using an iOS operating system network extension framework.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the network extension feature is implemented as a content filter of the iOS network extension framework.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the physical processor to receive, by a filter data provider of the content filter, configuration information that includes the spam/scam repository.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

intercept network traffic by the at least one processor employing a network extension feature of an operating system of the computing device;

capture, by the at least one processor employing the network extension feature, a phone number in the network traffic;

compare, by the at least one processor employing the network extension feature, the phone number to a plurality of entries in a spam/scam repository; and

perform, by the at least one processor, a security action in response to the comparison.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to capture the phone number include instructions that cause the computing device to capture the phone number for a payment transaction in the network traffic, and the security action includes preventing the payment transaction.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions that cause the computing device to capture the phone number include instructions that cause the computing device to capture the phone number for a call in the network traffic, and the security action includes employing the network extension feature to deny a network connection for the call.