Security News

Twilio expands IoT portfolio by offering Super SIM for eSIM/eUICC devices
2021-05-27 01:00

Twilio announced an expansion of the company's IoT portfolio by offering Super SIM, the cellular IoT connectivity platform, as an eSIM Consumer Profile for eUICC-enabled IoT devices. Twilio's support of the eSIM standard allows companies to load Twilio's multi-carrier Super SIM profile onto their devices over-the-air, in addition to eSIM profiles from other providers, and then switch between the different SIM profiles as needed.

T-Mobile discloses data breach after SIM swapping attacks
2021-02-26 20:18

American telecommunications provider T-Mobile has disclosed a data breach after an unknown number of customers were apparently affected by SIM swap attacks. The FBI shared guidance on how to defend against SIM swapping following an increase in the number of SIM hijacking attacks targeting cryptocurrency adopters and investors.

Celeb SIM-Swap Crime Ring Stole $100M from U.S. Victims
2021-02-11 16:03

"The attacks orchestrated by this criminal gang targeted thousands of victims throughout 2020, including famous internet influencers, sport stars, musicians and their families," according to an alert from the organization. In a typical SIM-swapping attack, attackers use stolen, sleuthed or phished personal information - including, crucially, a person's mobile phone number - to impersonate a target.

10 SIM Swappers Arrested for Stealing  $100M in Crypto from Celebrities
2021-02-11 02:22

Ten people belonging to a criminal network have been arrested in connection with a series of SIM-swapping attacks that resulted in the theft of more than $100 million by hijacking the mobile phone accounts of high-profile individuals in the U.S. The Europol-coordinated year-long investigation was jointly conducted by law enforcement authorities from the U.K., U.S., Belgium, Malta, and Canada. The sweep comes almost a year after Europol led an operation to dismantle two SIM swap criminal groups that stole €3.5 million by orchestrating a wave of more than 100 attacks targeting victims in Austria, emptying their bank accounts through their phone numbers.

Eight Brits arrested after probe into SIM-swapping scam targeting US celebs
2021-02-10 16:15

Brit cops have cuffed eight men in England and Scotland amid a probe into SIM-swapping attacks on high-profile US targets - including sports stars, musicians, and "Influencers" - that had money and personal data stolen. Last year unauthorised third parties took over the Twitter accounts of 130 celebrities including Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and former US president Barrack Obama.

SIM hijackers arrested after stealing millions from US celebrities
2021-02-10 15:34

Ten men part of a criminal gang involved in series of SIM swapping attacks targeting high-profile victims in the United States were arrested in the UK, Malta, and Belgium. SIM swap fraud allows scammers to take control of a target's phone number either via social engineering or by bribing mobile operator employees to port it to a SIM controlled by the fraudster.

uCloudlink signs agreement with CVITC to develop smart container solutions powered by Cloud SIM
2021-01-20 00:30

The partnership will see both companies develop innovative smart container solutions for domestic and international freight markets powered by uCloudlink's core patented Cloud SIM technology which accelerates the development of the global container transportation industry. Under the Agreement, uCloudlink will provide CVITC customers with technological platforms such as container sharing operation, transport capacity e-commerce, and truck drop and haul e-operation platforms for domestic and cross-border transportation.

Convicted SIM Swapper Gets 3 Years in Jail
2020-11-20 15:05

The defendant is part of an alleged conspiracy involving at least eight others in the United States who stand accused of theft via SIM swapping, a crime that involves convincing mobile phone company employees to transfer ownership of the target's phone number to a device the attackers control. Freeman was named as a member of a group of alleged SIM swappers called "The Community" charged last year with wire fraud in connection with SIM swapping attacks that netted in excess of $2.4 million.

Microsoft warns against SMS, voice calls for multi-factor authentication: Try something that can't be SIM swapped
2020-11-11 21:19

Multi-factor authentication, for those who haven't been paying attention, involves adding one or more additional access requirements to password-based authentication. At the same time, he argues people should avoid relying on SMS messages or voice calls to handle one-time passcodes because phone-based protocols are fundamentally insecure.

Two Charged in SIM Swapping, Vishing Scams
2020-11-03 18:30

Two young men from the eastern United States have been hit with identity theft and conspiracy charges for allegedly stealing bitcoin and social media accounts by tricking employees at wireless phone companies into giving away credentials needed to remotely access and modify customer account information. Investigators allege the duo set up phishing websites that mimicked legitimate employee portals belonging to wireless providers, and then emailed and/or called employees at these providers in a bid to trick them into logging in at these fake portals.