Getting an eSIM is one of the surefire ways to save money and time during your international trips. In fact, people nowadays look to buy cell phones that support the eSIM feature.

Gone are the days when people had to buy a new SIM card for each international trip. Now, by SIMply activating your eSIM, you can enjoy the privileges of having top-notch network services during your international travels. 

However, with its growing popularity, people have started questioning the safety features of every e SIM. This article will highlight safety features that every eSIM must have.

eSIM Security Features

e-SIM technology comes with several built-in security features aimed at protecting user information and preventing unauthorized access. 

• One major feature is remote provisioning. This allows users to download and activate a new mobile plan over the internet without having to get a physical SIM card. The remote provisioning process uses advanced encryption methods to ensure only approved companies and carriers can provision or set up the eSIM, preventing hackers from remotely hijacking the process.
  
• Another key security aspect of eSIMs is the authentication protocols they utilize. These are specialized secure communication protocols that a prepaid eSIM uses to verify itself and establish an encrypted connection with the mobile network. Without proper authentication, an unauthorized device cannot connect to the network.
  

• Many modern smartphones and devices that contain an eSIM also have another component called a secure element. This is a separate hardware chip dedicated to securely storing highly sensitive data like encryption keys and authentication codes for the virtual travel SIM. Having this secure separate hardware storage makes it extremely difficult for malware or hackers to access privileged eSIM credentials.
  
• In addition to secure elements, eSIM devices employ other hardware-based security techniques. This often involves having a secure enclave built into the main processor itself. A secure enclave is a dedicated, isolated area in the processing hardware where core root encryption keys and other secrets can be safeguarded from the rest of the device’s memory.

Can eSIMs be Hacked?

One common method hackers use is called social engineering. This involves psychologically manipulating people into revealing passwords or other sensitive details through phishing or pretexting scams over mobile internet networks. Users should never give out eSIM activation codes or mobile account credentials to any unauthorized parties.

Malware infection is another potential risk that eSIM users need to guard against. Malicious software could attempt to compromise the eSIM provisioning process or steal credentials from an infected device. It is crucial to only download apps from approved stores and keep devices updated with the latest security patches.

Finally, suppose hackers gain physical access to an eSIM device. In that case, they may try to extract encryption keys from the secure hardware or even attempt to replace the eSIM entirely with one under their control. Users should take physical security precautions like enabling device encryption and biometric authentication so that access doesn’t roam into unauthorized people.

The Bottom Line:

While no technology can claim to be 100% unhackable, eSIM security is extremely robust due to the multiple layers of encryption, authentication protocols, secure hardware vaults, and isolated secure enclaves involved. However, users still need to be cautious, as there are ways eSIM security could potentially be compromised.