Phone Numbers
Status Quo Usage of Phone Numbers
Most people use a single phone number for everything and signing up for all online services. This widespread usage makes phone numbers a de facto identity marker in the digital world.
What Is Wrong With It?
- Privacy Risk: Phone numbers are easily linked to personal identities, making them a weak point for privacy-focused individuals.
- Data Breaches: Many organizations store phone numbers insecurely, leading to frequent leaks and exposure in breaches.
- SIM Swapping: Attackers can hijack phone numbers by convincing carriers to transfer control, leading to account takeovers.
- Spam & Tracking: Phone numbers are often sold to advertisers, resulting in spam calls, texts, and tracking across services.
- Mandatory for Services: Many platforms require a phone number, limiting anonymity and increasing dependency on telecom providers.
Alternate Products
- VoIP Services: Services like Google Voice and MySudo allow for phone number masking and controlled usage.
- Privacy-focused SIM Providers: Companies like Silent.Link and Proton SIM offer privacy-conscious mobile services.
- Disposable Phone Number Services: Websites like SMS-Activate and Receive-SMS offer temporary phone numbers that can be bookmarked for repeated use.
- Alias Phone Numbers: Services such as Hushed and Burner allow temporary or disposable phone numbers.
- Decentralized Communication: Alternatives like Session and Jami provide phone-number-free messaging and calls.
Usage Strategy
- Separate Numbers for Different Purposes: Ideally, maintain 2-3 separate numbers—one for trusted contacts, one for essential accounts that don’t require immediate attention, and one absolutely disposable number for unimportant platforms that demand a phone number.
- Avoid Using a Personal Number for MFA: Opt for app-based authenticators like Aegis or hardware keys instead of SMS.
- Use VoIP or Alias Numbers: For sign-ups and less critical accounts, use a secondary VoIP or alias number.
- Consider a Privacy-Focused Carrier: If you must use a SIM, prefer services that do not require ID verification and support eSIM activation.
- Monitor for Leaks: Regularly check if your number appears in data breaches using services like Trend Micro’s ID Protection, Cybernews Personal Data Leak Checker, and IDStrong’s Phone Number Exposure Scan for exposure risks.
By taking these precautions, you can significantly reduce the risks associated with traditional phone numbers while maintaining necessary functionality.