No matter the shape or size, compromising SIM cards is a relatively simple task
In our article about the massive Facebook data leak earlier this month, we mentioned the concept of SIM swapping. This type of attack is becoming increasingly easier, thanks to leaks that associate email addresses and mobile phone numbers. Let’s take a deeper dive into how this type of attack is pulled off, why it's so popular, and steps that you can take to prevent it in the future.
Every mobile phone has a special card called a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). These cards come in three different sizes: big, medium and small (there are other names for them, but stick with me here for simplicity). The newest phones have the smallest cards, which are about the size of your pinkie’s nail surface, if you have small fingers. If you have this smallest SIM card, you can still fit in in the tray for your older phone, thanks to cardboard adapters that are included if you ever have to buy a new card.
Actually, there is a fourth version of the SIM — a virtual SIM or eSIM — that can be found on the newest smartphone models. This allows you to use two SIMs on your phone, such as when you travel internationally (remember those days?) and want to have a local number and a second mobile carrier in another country.
How the swap works
No matter what size or shape the SIM, compromising it is a relatively simple task — th ..
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