Methods and systems for detecting and preventing signaling connection control part (SCCP) looping

A method for identifying and preventing signaling connection control part (SCCP) looping, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving an SS7 signaling message from a first node, the signaling message having an originating point code (OPC), a destination point code (DPC), and a global tile address;
• (b) global title translating the global title address to determine a new DPC for the signaling message;
• (c) comparing the OPC to the new DPC to determine whether SCCP looping is present;
• (d) in response to determining that the OPC matches the new DPC, identifying the presence of SCCP looping;
• and
• (e) in response to determining that the OPC does not match the new DPC, applying SCCP loop detection logic to correlate the OPC or the DPC with one or more additional point codes of plural point codes used to identify an originating or destination node for the signaling message and determining whether SCCP looping is present based on the correlation.

A method for selective signaling connection control part (SCCP) loop detection, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving an SCCP message including an originating point code (OPC) associated with an originating node;
• (b) global title translating the SCCP message and determining a destination point code (DPC) associated with a destination for the SCCP message;
• (c) correlating the OPC or the DPC to a set including a plurality of point codes used to identify one of the originating and destination nodes, the set being selected based on the originating node, the destination node, and a direction associated with the SCCP message;
• and
• (d) identifying the presence of SCCP looping based on the OPC or the DPC being equal to a point code in the set of point codes.

A signaling message routing node comprising:

• (a) a communications link module for receiving a signaling connection control part (SCCP) message from an originating node;
• (b) a global title translation engine operatively associated with the communications link module for performing global title translation for the SCCP message to produce a destination point code (DPC) for the SCCP message;
• and
• (c) an SCCP loop detector operatively associated with the global title translation engine for comparing the post-GTT DPC associated with the SCCP message to a first point code stored in a message transfer part (MTP) originating point code (OPC) field associated with the SCCP message, and, in response to detecting a match, for indicating the presence of SCCP looping and, in response to failing to detect a match, for comparing the post-GTT DPC with at least one second point code of a plurality of point codes used to identify the originating node to identify the presence of SCCP looping.

A processor card for detecting signaling connection control part (SCCP) looping in a telecommunications network, the processor card including at least one processor that executes instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• (a) receiving, at a signaling message routing node, an SCCP message from an originating node;
• (b) performing global title translation for the SCCP message and thereby determining a destination point code (DPC) for the SCCP message;
• (c) comparing the post-GTT DPC with a first point code stored in a message transfer part (MTP) originating point code (OPC) field associated with the SCCP message;
• (d) in response to detecting a match in step (c), identifying the presence of SCCP looping for the SCCP message;
• (e) in response to failing to detect a match in step (c), mapping the first point code to at least one second point code of a plurality of point codes used to identify the originating code;
• (f) comparing the post-GTT DPC to the at least one second point code;
• and
• (g) in response to detecting a match in step (f), identifying the presence of SCCP looping for the signaling message.

A processor card for identifying and preventing signaling connection control part (SCCP) looping, the the processor card including at least one processor that executes instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• (a) receiving an SS7 signaling message from a first node, the signaling message having an originating point code (OPC), a destination point code (DPC), and a global title address;
• (b) global title translating the global title address to determine a new DPC for the signaling message;
• (c) comparing the OPC to the new DPC to determine whether SCCP looping is present;
• (d) in response to determining that the OPC matches the new DPC, identifying the presence of SCCP looping;
• and
• (e) in response to determining that the OPC does not match the new DPC, applying SCCP loop detection logic to correlate the OPC or the DPC with one or more additional point codes of plural point codes used to identify an originating or destination node for the signaling message and determining whether SCCP looping is present based on the correlation.

A processor card for selective signaling connection control part (SCCP) loop detection, the the processor card including at least one processor that executes instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• (a) receiving an SCCP message including an originating point code (OPC) associated with an originating node;
• (b) global title translating the SCCP message and determining a destination point code (DPC) associated with a destination for the SCCP message;
• (c) correlating the OPC or the DPC to a set including a plurality of point codes used to identify one of the originating and destination nodes, the set being selected based on the originating node, the destination node, and a direction associated with the SCCP message;
• and
• (d) identifying the presence of SCCP looping based on the OPC or the DPC being equal to a point code in the set of point codes.