SK Telecom Says USIM Protection Service Subscribers Surpass 10 Million

SK Telecom announced on April 29 that the number of subscribers to its USIM Protection Service, including those using MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) lines, has surpassed 10 million.

According to SK Telecom, as of 8:00 p.m. on this day, 9.6 million of its own subscribers and, as of 6:00 p.m., 400,000 MVNO subscribers using the SK Telecom network had each signed up for the USIM Protection Service. The tally of protection service subscribers for MVNO lines is conducted at a different time from the tally for SKT subscribers.

Previously, SK Telecom and the Ministry of Science and ICT emphasized that the USIM Protection Service is an effective measure to prevent 'SIM swapping.' SIM swapping refers to the illegal act of duplicating a USIM using leaked subscriber information and inserting it into another mobile phone to conduct unauthorized financial transactions and other illicit activities.

In addition, they stated that the service is also effective as a defense against smishing damages that may occur after SIM cloning, which hackers could attempt using four types of USIM information leaked during a hacking attack discovered on April 18. They explained that even if a hacker attempts smishing and a user is deceived into rebooting their phone, as long as the user is subscribed to the USIM Protection Service, they will not lose control of their mobile device.

Furthermore, SK Telecom announced that it has significantly increased the processing capacity of the USIM Protection Service, improving reservation processing and subscription completion notifications.