Although it is something that is quite obsolete, we still use SMS. You are sure to receive some authentication codes, advertising or even scam attempts. But do you text a lot? We are going to explain to you why you should avoid using them or, at least, why you should know what the risks are. The goal is to avoid security problems and expose your personal data.
SMS has been used for many years. It has been a very present method of communication and, for a time, became something like what WhatsApp is today. Although it was not the same, since it cost money to send a message, it did help to stay in touch via mobile.
SMS risks
The problem is that, today, it can be a security and privacy risk. Due to its own technology, because it is something that has been with us for a long time, it also has vulnerabilities and limitations that should be known. Unlike other applications, it is not as adapted to current security standards.
No end-to-end encryption
One of the limitations is that it does not have end to end encryption. This means that a third party could read the messages you are sending or that have been sent to you. It could be a significant problem for your privacy, especially if information is leaked that may be confidential and also affect third parties.
Unlike applications like WhatsApp, which do have end-to-end encryption, an SMS does not. Governments could read the content, but also attackers who could exploit certain flaws.
Operators read and store messages
It should also be taken into account that operators could have the ability to store those messages, even if only for a short period of time. In addition, it should be mentioned that there is a record of who we send an SMS to, as well as other metadata that will expose certain information.
Once again, if you want maximum privacy and prevent these messages from being read, even accidentally or by leak, the ideal is that you have applications that do use end-to-end encryption. Programs like WhatsApp or Telegram will not have these problems.
You can be wrong
Yet another example is that you could make a mistake when sending an SMS. For example, if you get confused when sending something on WhatsApp, you have the option to delete or edit that message. The other person sees that you have deleted or edited it, but they would not be able to read that original message that you sent by mistake.
On the other hand, an SMS will not have this option. Once you press the send button, it is automatically sent and in a matter of seconds it will reach the recipient’s phone number. You no longer have anything to do to reverse the situation.
Old technology
This technology is old. It must be taken into account that it emerged in the 1970s and since then things have changed a lot. This makes it an obsolete technology that can be exploited through different cyber attack methods. For example, it could be exploited to obtain two-step authentication codes and access victim accounts.
This means that, today, it is not a very advisable option to protect an account with 2FA. It is better to use other solutions, such as Google Authenticator-type applications. However, this is better than not having any enabled.
In short, using SMS today has its risks. It is an old technology, has certain vulnerabilities and does not offer the security and privacy guarantees that messaging programs such as WhatsApp do have. We recommend that you identify fraudulent SMS, since you may receive many of this type.
