Protect Your AT&T Phone from SIM Swapping with This Simple Feature

If you’re an AT&T customer, you can turn on a new security feature that prevents your phone number from being moved to a different device without your knowledge, exposing your data to cyber criminals in the process. The feature, called Wireless Account Lock, is now rolling out to all AT&T users.

SIM swapping (also referred to as SIM jacking) is a form of phone hacking—and one that’s especially dangerous. In this type of attack, threat actors reroute your cell number to another SIM card on a different phone, meaning all of your calls, texts, and two-factor authentication codes are visible to someone else.(This is one of several reasons why you should avoid SMS authentication whenever possible.)

SIM swaps require convincing your cellular service provider to transfer your number to a new SIM, which hackers accomplish by impersonating you with information they’ve gleaned from a phishing attack or data breach. They may even attempt to trick or bribe someone at the company to make this switch. As Bleeping Computer outlines, SIM swapping attacks have proliferated over the last few years and affected customers at carriers like T-Mobile and Google Fi.

How Wireless Account Lock protects your data

Wireless Account Lock prevents certain changes from being made on your AT&T account while the setting is active, meaning no one (not even an AT&T employee) can transfer your number to a new SIM card. When enabled, Wireless Account Lock prevents the following:

• Upgrading a device

• Changing a SIM card or eSIM

• Initiating a phone number transfer

• Adding a new line

• Changing billing info

• Changing authorized users

• Changing phone numbers

If you have a business account, the account administrator can choose to exempt lines or select specific lock functions to turn on or off.