SIM Jacking is a relatively new form of cybercrime in which an attacker gains access to your phone number and then uses your SIM card to make calls, send messages, and collect information about you. This can lead to data leaks and large financial losses.
What is SIM jacking?
SIM Jacking is an attack in which an attacker uses a victim's SIM card to take over their smartphone account and gain access to personal information, including text messages, contacts, and financial data. Cybercriminals can also use a user's phone number to make calls and send text messages on their behalf.
In addition, if the victim's phone number is linked to a bank account, hackers can bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) and reset the password to gain access to the victim's financial accounts. They can also use your phone number to register new accounts in your name – such as an email or social media account.
How does SIM jacking work?
Hacking a SIM card usually starts with a phishing attack. Attackers send you a text message or email that looks like it was sent by your mobile carrier. The message may indicate that suspicious activity has been detected in your account or that you need to update your personal information.
If you click on the link in the message, you will be taken to a fake website that looks like your carrier's site. The website will ask you for personal information, including your name, address, and date of birth. It will also ask for your mobile phone number and account PIN.
Once an attacker gets your information, they can contact your carrier and order a new SIM card. After getting a new SIM card, they can take over your account and access your personal information.
Connecting a SIM card using the SIM-Jacker (Simjacker)software
SIM-Jacker (Simjacker)— this is a type of spyware that can be installed on a victim's phone without their knowledge, and then used to send commands to the SIM card to take possession of the phone.
When a SIM-Jacker attack occurs, spyware is sent to your phone via SMS. Basically, an SMS message contains a set of instructions to instruct a Universal Integrated Circuit Board (UICC) to take control of the phone to retrieve and execute confidential commands.
As a result, an attacker gains access to the device, its location, and its Cell-ID. The danger of this attack is that you won't even know that your device has been compromised, as you won't get any warnings about the attack.
How to protect yourself from SIM jacking
There are several ways to protect yourself from hacking your SIM card:
What to do if your SIM card is hacked
If you believe that you are a victim of a SIM card hack, there are several actions that you need to take:
Is SIM jacking really dangerous?
SIM card hacking is a big threat, but not as common as other types of identity theft. This is due to the fact that SIM jacking requires a high level of technical knowledge, and this attack is difficult to implement. However, the consequences of hacking a SIM card can be devastating.
What is SIM jacking?
SIM Jacking is an attack in which an attacker uses a victim's SIM card to take over their smartphone account and gain access to personal information, including text messages, contacts, and financial data. Cybercriminals can also use a user's phone number to make calls and send text messages on their behalf.
In addition, if the victim's phone number is linked to a bank account, hackers can bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) and reset the password to gain access to the victim's financial accounts. They can also use your phone number to register new accounts in your name – such as an email or social media account.
How does SIM jacking work?
Hacking a SIM card usually starts with a phishing attack. Attackers send you a text message or email that looks like it was sent by your mobile carrier. The message may indicate that suspicious activity has been detected in your account or that you need to update your personal information.
If you click on the link in the message, you will be taken to a fake website that looks like your carrier's site. The website will ask you for personal information, including your name, address, and date of birth. It will also ask for your mobile phone number and account PIN.
Once an attacker gets your information, they can contact your carrier and order a new SIM card. After getting a new SIM card, they can take over your account and access your personal information.
Connecting a SIM card using the SIM-Jacker (Simjacker)software
SIM-Jacker (Simjacker)— this is a type of spyware that can be installed on a victim's phone without their knowledge, and then used to send commands to the SIM card to take possession of the phone.
When a SIM-Jacker attack occurs, spyware is sent to your phone via SMS. Basically, an SMS message contains a set of instructions to instruct a Universal Integrated Circuit Board (UICC) to take control of the phone to retrieve and execute confidential commands.
As a result, an attacker gains access to the device, its location, and its Cell-ID. The danger of this attack is that you won't even know that your device has been compromised, as you won't get any warnings about the attack.
How to protect yourself from SIM jacking
There are several ways to protect yourself from hacking your SIM card:
- Not all information is intended for posting on the Internet. Don't post confidential information about yourself online;
- Don't share your confidential information with strangers;
- Do not click on links in messages or emails if you are not sure of the source's reliability;
- Don't use SMS for multi-factor authentication. Instead, you can use special apps like Google Authenticator or Authy;
- Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity on your phone (for example, messages, calls, unexpected payments, registration of new accounts) that you have not made, and immediately report it to your mobile operator;
- Update your operating system and applications regularly. Security updates often contain fixes for recently discovered vulnerabilities;
- Install antivirus software on your phone. It will protect your device from malware and spyware such as SIM-Jacker.
What to do if your SIM card is hacked
If you believe that you are a victim of a SIM card hack, there are several actions that you need to take:
- Contact your mobile operator. It can deactivate your SIM card and activate a new one;
- Change your passwords. When you get a new SIM card, change the passwords for all your accounts – email, social networks, online banking, and any other accounts that use two-factor authentication.
- Warn your friends and relatives. Once your SIM card is compromised, attackers can contact your family and friends on your behalf to ask them for money or distribute malware to them. So if you think your SIM card is compromised, please let your contacts know so that they don't become the next victims.
- Log in to your WhatsApp profile with your new SIM card. Cybercriminals can take over your WhatsApp account after hacking your SIM card. Be sure to re-authenticate WhatsApp after getting a new SIM card, so that hackers can't access your profile.
Is SIM jacking really dangerous?
SIM card hacking is a big threat, but not as common as other types of identity theft. This is due to the fact that SIM jacking requires a high level of technical knowledge, and this attack is difficult to implement. However, the consequences of hacking a SIM card can be devastating.
