SIM Card Swap
Where this stands
No Sigma rule can address this — the telemetry MITRE names has no Sigma logsource behind it.
Sigma has no logsource taxonomy for mobile platforms. MITRE's telemetry here is mobile EDR and device APIs, which no Sigma rule can address.
What the technique is
Adversaries may gain access to mobile devices through transfers or swaps from victims’ phone numbers to adversary-controlled SIM cards and mobile devices. The typical process is as follows: 1. Adversaries will first gather information about victims through Phishing, social engineering, data breaches, or other avenues. 2. Adversaries will then impersonate victims as they contact mobile carriers to request for the SIM swaps. For example, adversaries would provide victims’ name and address to mobile carriers; once authenticated, adversaries would request for victims’ phone numbers to be transferred to adversary-controlled SIM cards. 3. Once completed, victims will lose mobile data, such as text messages and phone calls, on their mobile devices. In turn, adversaries will receive mobile data that was intended for the victims. Adversaries may use the intercepted SMS messages to log into online accounts that use SMS-based authentication. Specifically, adversaries may use SMS-based authentication to log into banking and/or cryptocurrency accounts, then transfer funds to adversary-controlled wallets.
Read it on attack.mitre.orgWhat MITRE says you would watch
- AN1747
A defender correlates a sudden carrier identity/service state change (SIM/line identifier change or unexpected loss of cellular service) with near-term device messaging/telephony disruption and a concurrent shift in authentication traffic patterns—such as a spike in SMS-based verification flows or account recovery activity from the same user’s identities—indicating the user’s number may have been transferred to a different SIM/device (SIM swap impact).
- AN1748
A defender correlates an unexpected change in cellular subscription state (eSIM/SIM profile change, carrier/operator change, or sudden persistent loss of cellular service) with near-term disruption signals and a rapid increase in authentication-related network activity consistent with SMS verification or account recovery flows, suggesting the user’s number has been ported to an adversary-controlled SIM/device (SIM swap impact).
Technique names and descriptions © MITRE ATT&CK®, CC BY 4.0. Not endorsed by MITRE.