TY - GEN
T1 - A Study of the Emerging Trends in SIM Swapping Crime and Effective Countermeasures
AU - Kim, Myounghoon
AU - Suh, Joon
AU - Kwon, Hunyeong
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 IEEE.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - SIM swapping is a novel criminal modus operandi which uses copied SIM cards for the purpose of taking over a mobile service subscription and thereby accessing sensitive personal and financial data. Authorities around the world have reported a surge in SIM Swapping crimes, mainly driven by criminals taking advantage of the increasingly virtual lifestyle precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines related cases around the world, and categorizes them according to their specific modi operandi, as well as the initial responses of national authorities to this emerging crime. By analyzing the dynamics of this new crime trend, this study aims to propose preemptive and preventative measures to address this new threat. Research has identified three main steps in SIM Swapping crime: 1) personal data theft, 2) fraudulent copying of SIM card, and 3) exploitation of falsely-obtained mobile service for perpetration. Research has also found that the subscriber authentication procedure involved in replacing a SIM card is vulnerable to identity theft, especially in jurisdictions which have implemented eSIM. Therefore, it will be upon governments to enforce a stronger user authentication and information security regime for mobile carriers, introduce an online payment system devised with a data-sharing mechanism connecting mobile carriers and financial services, and raise public awareness on SIM Swapping and information security in general.
AB - SIM swapping is a novel criminal modus operandi which uses copied SIM cards for the purpose of taking over a mobile service subscription and thereby accessing sensitive personal and financial data. Authorities around the world have reported a surge in SIM Swapping crimes, mainly driven by criminals taking advantage of the increasingly virtual lifestyle precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines related cases around the world, and categorizes them according to their specific modi operandi, as well as the initial responses of national authorities to this emerging crime. By analyzing the dynamics of this new crime trend, this study aims to propose preemptive and preventative measures to address this new threat. Research has identified three main steps in SIM Swapping crime: 1) personal data theft, 2) fraudulent copying of SIM card, and 3) exploitation of falsely-obtained mobile service for perpetration. Research has also found that the subscriber authentication procedure involved in replacing a SIM card is vulnerable to identity theft, especially in jurisdictions which have implemented eSIM. Therefore, it will be upon governments to enforce a stronger user authentication and information security regime for mobile carriers, introduce an online payment system devised with a data-sharing mechanism connecting mobile carriers and financial services, and raise public awareness on SIM Swapping and information security in general.
KW - Cybercrime trends
KW - Effective Countermeasures
KW - SIM Swapping crime
KW - eSIM(Embedded SIM)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141393532&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/BCD54882.2022.9900510
DO - 10.1109/BCD54882.2022.9900510
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85141393532
T3 - Proceedings - 2022 IEEE/ACIS 7th International Conference on Big Data, Cloud Computing, and Data Science, BCD 2022
SP - 240
EP - 245
BT - Proceedings - 2022 IEEE/ACIS 7th International Conference on Big Data, Cloud Computing, and Data Science, BCD 2022
A2 - Trong, Van Hung
A2 - Park, Jongwoo
A2 - Thao, Vo Thi Thanh
A2 - Kim, Jongbae
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 7th IEEE/ACIS International Conference on Big Data, Cloud Computing, and Data Science, BCD 2022
Y2 - 4 August 2022 through 6 August 2022
ER -