eSIMs Can Be Hacked, but I Keep Mine Safe With These Tips
1 min read
Summary
The author bought an eSIM in an attempt to improve the security of their mobile account, but discovered that without further protections in place, their number was still vulnerable to hacking.
The biggest risks are SIM swapping, where a hacker calls a mobile provider and claims to be the account owner in order to have a new SIM card sent out, allowing them to use the original number on a new device; and malware, where a hacker sends suspicious links via SMS in an attempt to get the account owner to download malicious software.
In order to combat these threats, the author has turned on a VPN which masks their IP address; largely ignores messages and emails which they suspect to be phishing attempts; only downloads apps which are well-reviewed; has turned on the SIM PIN feature on their iPhone; protected their account with their network provider using two-factor authentication and digital ID; uses an authenticator app rather than SMS for multi-factor authentication; reducing their use of public Wi-Fi; and limiting the extent to which they use their phone number online.
These steps have helped protect their eSIM from hacking attempts.
