Used to send AT command messages from/to the modem Attention commands commands are a collection of short-string commands developed in the early 1980s that were designed to be transmitted via phone lines and control modems. Different AT command strings can be merged together to tell a modem to dial, hang up, or change connection parameters. Smartphones include a basic modem component inside them, which allows the smartphone to connect to the Internet via its telephony function. This can be abused. It's been known for many years that Android devices are vulnerable to attacks carried out via AT commands: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/smartphones-from-11-oems-vulnerable-to-attacks-via-hidden-at-commands/
Phones target this application