Travel Esim Security Concerns: Study Reveals Data Routing Through Unwanted Networks

Published on August 19, 2025

In a caller information study, experts raised concerns astir nan information of recreation eSIMs, which person go progressively celebrated for visitors and business travelers. The study, conducted by researchers from Northeastern University, uncovered that galore recreation eSIM providers secretly way personification information done overseas telecommunications networks, including China, without notifying customers. This find has sparked worries complete privateness and jurisdictional issues.

eSIMs’ Hidden Data Routes Expose Privacy Risks

What Are Travel eSIMs?
Electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) are a integer replacement to beingness SIM cards, offering greater convenience for world travelers. By allowing users to move betwixt mobile carriers without changing beingness SIM cards, eSIMs connection elasticity and often amended rates for roaming services. However, nan caller investigation has revealed that this convenience whitethorn travel astatine a hidden cost: privateness risks.

In their insubstantial titled eSIMplicity aliases eSIMplification? Privacy and Security Risks successful nan eSIM Ecosystem, nan researchers, including Maryam Motallebighomi, Jason Veara, Evangelos Bitsikas, and Aanjhan Ranganathan, elaborate really nan information routing of recreation eSIMs is acold from transparent. They purchased eSIM profiles from respective well-known providers, specified arsenic Holafly, Airalo, and eSIM Access, and tested really personification information flows crossed mobile networks.

The Route of User Data: China’s Telecom Infrastructure

According to nan researchers, contempt nan location of nan users, eSIM information postulation was often routed done networks successful unexpected countries. The study showed that galore providers, including those based successful countries for illustration Ireland, routed personification information done Chinese infrastructure. In 1 case, an eSIM purchased from Holafly, a supplier based successful Ireland, routed its postulation done China Mobile’s network, making nan user’s instrumentality look arsenic if it was located successful China.

The implications of this information routing are serious. When users deliberation their information is being transmitted locally aliases regionally, it could alternatively beryllium walking done overseas networks, exposing delicate information. This deficiency of transparency raises important concerns astir privateness and information sovereignty.

eSIM Data Routing: Unseen Consequences for Global Travelers

This opaque routing of eSIM information has different consequences. For instance, nan researchers noted that erstwhile utilizing immoderate eSIMs, they could entree contented and services restricted to definite regions. In 1 test, they successfully streamed videos from ViuTV, an intermezo level typically unavailable successful nan United States, without needing to usage a VPN. This demonstrated really eSIMs could circumvent geographical restrictions, perchance breaching section laws aliases regulations regarding contented access.

These revelations besides shed ray connected a worrying inclination successful nan eSIM ecosystem, wherever users stay unaware of wherever and really their information is being handled. Without clear disclosures from providers, customers are near successful nan dark, pinch small to nary power complete their individual information.

Ease of Becoming an eSIM Reseller: A Privacy Threat

One of nan much astonishing findings from nan study was nan easiness pinch which individuals aliases companies tin go eSIM resellers. The researchers recovered that it only took a valid email reside and costs method to go a reseller connected platforms for illustration eSIMaccess and Telnyx. This deficiency of scrutiny intends that resellers tin summation entree to extended personification data, including delicate accusation for illustration International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers and instrumentality location data.

In 1 case, nan researchers recovered that eSIM resellers had entree to location accusation meticulous to wrong 800 meters, which raises concerns astir personification privateness and consent. This business is exacerbated by nan truth that nan location accusation is not ever provided successful real-time, meaning resellers could way users without their knowledge aliases permission.

Proactive Communication from eSIMs: A Silent Privacy Breach

Another striking rumor uncovered by nan researchers was nan “proactive communication” behaviour of eSIM profiles. Using specialized hardware, nan squad discovered that eSIM profiles were silently establishing connections to servers successful countries for illustration Singapore and retrieving SMS messages from Hong Kong numbers. These unsolicited connections, which were initiated by nan eSIM profiles themselves, occurred without immoderate personification awareness, demonstrating a important privateness breach.

This behaviour is carried retired done SIM Application Toolkit (STK) commands, a strategy traditionally utilized for morganatic tasks for illustration web configuration. However, nan researchers recovered that these commands could now beryllium utilized for actions hidden from nan user, specified arsenic unsolicited information retrieval.

Proposed Solutions for Improving eSIM Security

The researchers person projected respective measures to reside nan vulnerabilities identified successful their study. They propose enhanced transparency requirements, forcing eSIM providers to disclose information routing practices and intelligibly pass customers astir really their information is handled.

Furthermore, nan researchers urge regulatory frameworks that would explain nan responsibilities of mobile web operators, resellers, and wholesale providers successful ensuring that personification information is protected and handled responsibly. By implementing specified frameworks, nan eSIM ecosystem could go safer and much transparent for users worldwide.

Conclusion: A Call for Transparency successful nan eSIM Market

As recreation eSIMs proceed to turn successful popularity, it is important for providers to support transparency astir their information handling practices. With nan expanding usage of these integer SIM cards by world travelers, ensuring information privateness and information is much important than ever. This investigation serves arsenic a wake-up telephone for some eSIM providers and consumers to beryllium much vigilant astir really their individual information is being routed and stored.

For travelers seeking to enactment connected without compromising their privacy, it is basal to take eSIM providers that connection clear and transparent information practices. With increasing concerns complete security, travelers should enactment informed and beryllium cautious erstwhile selecting eSIM services.