What is the Simjacker exploit and how you can protect yourself with Routee
What is a Simjacker exploit
A single SMS that contains malicious code that can take control of your mobile phone device. This is a Simjacker exploit and in truth, it can affect almost any mobile device that operates with a SIM card in the world today.
Once a malicious SMS is received, a spyware-like code gains access to critical information on your device. The Simjacker exploit can read private information, determine your current location and even perform commands on the device that compromise privacy and security on multiple levels.
Developed as a sophisticated attack against the most commonly-used SIM card chips today, this exploit renders software security measures inadequate. There is no software patch available at the moment, that can proactively deactivate access rights to the SIM card of the affected devices.
What are the types of a Simjacker attack
There are three different types of attack associated with the Simjacker exploit.
SMS exploit
This is the most common type of attack that can potentially affect more than a billion devices worldwide. A malicious actor targets a specific device with an SMS message. Once received, the message executes code on the device and sends critical information back to the attacker. Through the information received, the actual location of the device can be inferred, as well as other private data, without the user being aware that such an attack ever took place.
Call fraud
The mobile phone user receives a message that appears as a notification alert on their device.
With the use of some social engineering through the right wording, recipients are invited, asked or even instructed to click on the OK button to agree and dismiss a message. Once this is done, the device performs a call to an expensive number, charging the caller an extortionate amount of money in the process.
Browser attack
Similar to the “Call fraud” attack that executes a call to a specific number from an affected device, a browser attack directs all browser traffic to a specific website. This website may contain malicious code and even retrieve critical data from the device. A Simjacker browser attack takes place through an SMS delivery that appears as a notification on the recepient’s screen. The user then consents to a carefully-crafted message by clicking the OK button and the malicious code gets executed.
How Routee can help you protect your communications
Although current SIM card chip technology is limiting the available security options, owners of mobile devices can still protect themselves from the Simjacker exploit. Routee has been working closely with security experts all over the world and has developed a safety net, to guard the integrity of all outbound communications.
Operating the 3rd largest SMS HUB globally, AMD Telecom, the parent company of Routee, has the expertise and technical prowess to protect all of its customers across any communication network in the world.
When selecting Routee as your communication partner, you gain the full support of a global leader in bulk SMS messaging. You also benefit from the most sophisticated security protection that is available to date.
Visit Routee.net and find out how you can protect yourself from malicious Simjacker SMS exploits.