Simjacker vulnerability

AdaptiveMobile Security uncovered new and previously undetected Simjacker vulnerability exploited by surveillance companies for espionage operation.

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The Simjacker vulnerability is currently being actively exploited by a specific private company that works with governments to monitor individuals. Simjacker and its associated exploits is a huge jump in complexity and sophistication compared to attacks previously seen over mobile core networks.

The main Simjacker attack involves an SMS containing a specific type of spyware-like code being sent to a mobile phone, which then instructs the SIM Card within the phone to ‘take over’ the mobile phone to retrieve and perform sensitive commands.

The location information of thousands of devices was obtained over time without the knowledge or consent of the targeted mobile phone users.

During the attack, the user is completely unaware that they received the attack, that information was retrieved, and that it was successfully exfiltrated.

The Simjacker attack can, and has been extended further to perform additional types of attacks.

Download Simjacker Technical Report

Simjacker

Example of how Simjacker can track mobile phone location of vulnerable subscribers

The Scale of the Simjacker Vulnerability and Attacks

Simjacker has been further exploited to perform many other types of attacks against individuals and mobile operators such as fraud, scam calls, information leakage, denial of service and espionage. AdaptiveMobile Security Threat Intelligence analysts observed the hackers vary their attacks, testing many of these further exploits. In theory, all makes and models of mobile phone are open to attack as the vulnerability is linked to a technology embedded on SIM cards. The Simjacker vulnerability could extend to over 1 billion mobile phone users globally, potentially impacting countries in the Americas, West Africa, Europe, Middle East and indeed any region of the world where this SIM card technology is in use.

Stopping the attacks and building long-term defences

We are quite confident that this exploit has been developed by a specific private company that works with governments to monitor individuals. AdaptiveMobile Security has been working closely with their customers and the wider industry; including both mobile network operators and SIM card manufacturers to protect mobile phone subscribers. We have blocked attacks and are committed to using our global threat intelligence to build defences against these new sophisticated attacks that are circumventing current security measures.

THREAT INTELLIGENCE

Simjacker – Next Generation Spying Over Mobile

We believe that the Simjacker vulnerability has been exploited for at least the last 2 years by a highly sophisticated threat actor in multiple countries, primarily for the purposes of surveillance. Read on to discover more about this ground-breaking attack.

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Simjacker – Next Generation Spying Over Mobile

Protecting Mobile Network Operators

AdaptiveMobile Security is the world leader in mobile network security, protecting more than 2.2 billion subscribers worldwide. With deep expertise and a unique focus on network-to-handset security, AdaptiveMobile’s award-winning security solutions and services provide its customers with advanced threat detection and actionable intelligence, combined with the most comprehensive security product-set in the market today.

AdaptiveMobile Security was founded in 2006 and counts some of the world’s largest carriers, Governments and Regulators as customers. The Company is headquartered in Dublin with offices in North America, Europe, South Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

Protecting Every Nation! Every Network! Every Number!