Telecoms provider T-Mobile has become the latest corporate name to come under fire for its alleged negligence and failure to protect customer information, which indirectly enabled a "SIM swap attack" that led to the successful theft of $450,000, or 15 Bitcoin (BTC).
A SIM swap attack — also referred to as a port-out scam — has proved to be a popular tactic with criminals in recent years. Such an attack involves the theft of a victim’s cell phone number, which can then be used to hijack the victim's online financial and social media accounts by intercepting automated messages or phone calls that are used for two-factor authentication security measures.