Do eSIMs have any downsides from a privacy standpoint? - eviltoast

Compared to regular SIM cards.

SIMs are easier to swap if needing to switch phone, but I only see this as a convenience. I don’t see why it would be more private.

I have little knowledge on how eSIMs work, but something in the back of my mind, tells me that somehow, eSIMs are bad for privacy :(

Anybody care to share their views on this?

  • Laitinlok@discuss.tchncs.de
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    1 year ago

    The only thing it improves is data security which can in some extent resist against identity theft, financial fraud, etc. Does having an eSIM card improve my data security?

    Yes, there are significant security benefits. An eSIM card cannot be stolen without stealing the phone, whereas removable SIM cards are sometimes stolen, and used in port out scams. That’s when identity thieves fraudulently swap stolen SIM cards into different phones to gain access to the victim’s calls and text messages. The thieves may then try to reset credentials and gain access to the victim’s financial and social media accounts.

    For more information about SIM swapping, port out scams, cell phone cloning and subscriber fraud, see our consumer guide on cell phone fraud. https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/esim-cards-faq