Things to keep in mind when registering your SIM

With the issuance of the SIM Registration Act telcos will be responsible for collecting the necessary data from their subscribers.

File photo: SIM card tray of vivo V23 5G

Securing data submitted when registering SIM

Just this week, the National Telecommunications Commission released the IRR for the SIM registration law.

Under this, Public Telecommunications Entity (PTE) is assigned to establish a platform where their subscribers can submit data needed to register their SIM.

Data to be collected are the following:

While there are provisions in the law to protect users' data, let’s admit it, there is still worry about security.

Privacy risks are another major concern, said Yeo Siang Tiong, general manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky, in a statement. For a cybercriminal, having a potential victim’s phone number significantly increases the opportunity of a successful attack, since most online services require entering a phone number along with other personal data.

Kaspersky defines phishing as a form of cybercrime that involves stealing confidential data from a person's device and using the same data to steal their money.

Doxing, cyberbullying, blackmailing and extortion are among the potential cyberthreats victims might face, he noted.

To stay safe against these criminals, Kaspersky urges Filipinos to:

1. Visit and use links of official websites/platforms only - Keep in mind the telcos will be launching their online registration forms. Make sure that you only access these official websites.

2. Check each link and email carefully - When you receive an email claiming to be related to the registration, do not reply or click the link in the email immediately. Check out for signs of phishing such as mistakes, typos, and strange characters in the text as well as inconsistent sender addresses.

You can check a link by hovering your cursor over it and reading the address carefully. Cybercriminals bet on victims who do not pay enough attention to detect slight changes made to the names of well-known companies or brands.

4. Use reliable security protection on your device - While keeping a constant lookout for red flags can be hard for many, there can be security solutions you can use to do the job for you and protect you against phishing.

These are only a few things you can do to protect your data from getting compromised.

This is as the Philippines starts to implement efforts to address the spread of text scams and fight fraudsters.

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