SIM Swapping and Man-in-the-Middle Attacks Rise Explosively

📈 SIM Swapping: A Growing Threat

According to reports, the number of SIM-swapping attacks has increased by as much as 400% in recent years! 🚀 This type of attack allows cybercriminals to take control of phone numbers to gain access to accounts that rely on SMS-based multi-factor authentication (MFA)¹.

 

 

🔎 What exactly is SIM swapping?

• Attackers convince a telecom provider to transfer a phone number to a new SIM card they own.
• Once the hacker has control of the phone number, they can intercept SMS authentication codes and log into sensitive accounts.
• This can lead to financial fraud, identity theft and data breaches.

 

 

💡 Examples of infamous SIM swap attacks:

📌 2019: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey fell victim to a SIM swap, giving attackers control of his Twitter account.
📌 2021-2022: The hacker group Lapsus$ used SIM swapping to gain access to companies such as Microsoft, Samsung and Uber.
📌 2024? It is claimed that the U.S. SEC’s X account was hacked via SIM swap, although there is no official confirmation yet.

 

 

🔥 Why is this a Problem?

Many businesses still rely on insecure MFA methods, such as:
❌ SMS-based authentication – Easily intercepted via SIM swapping.
❌ Voice calls as an MFA method – Also vulnerable to attack and interception.

🔺 Hackers are capitalizing on this, victimizing more and more organizations!

 

 

🛡 How Do You Protect Your Microsoft 365 Organization?

Want to prevent your organization from falling prey to these attacks? Then remove weak MFA methods and choose safer alternatives! ✅

✔ Use Authenticator Apps such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator instead of SMS.
✔ Implement hardware-based security keys such as YubiKey for added protection.
✔ Enable phishing-resistant MFA with FIDO2 keys.
✔ Monitor suspicious login attempts and set up alerts for unusual activity.
✔ Train employees on the risks of SIM swapping and social engineering.

Microsoft 365 offers multiple secure MFA options², so there’s no excuse to use SMS authentication anymore!

 

 

🚀 Avoid becoming the next victim!

Cybercriminals continue to refine their methods, and companies that rely on outdated security practices are at great risk. Make sure your organization is not next on the list!

🔐 Upgrade your MFA methods today and protect your accounts from SIM-swapping attacks!

💬 Which MFA method do you use?

 

References

¹https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/identity/authentication/howto-authentication-sms-signin

²https://alta-ict.nl/blog/mfa-in-microsoft-365-welke-methode-kies-jij

 

About the author

My name is Alta Martes, a specialist in Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, with a focus on modern workplace management, cloud security and identity & access management. With years of experience, I help organizations optimize their IT infrastructure and create a secure, efficient digital workplace.

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