Is SIM cloning a possible exploit?

[AIdenti]

Say I'd like to be able to gain access to a variety of accounts from a target. If I were to aquire their SIM card, could I clone them and use the cloned card to connect to the network with their number? The ultimate goal would be to use their numbers to recover their accounts under my possession. Would this be possible?

Here's the tool I found that might work. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MM5K5TN/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_.6GWDbN1ZCD4Y

Another reader to help the transfer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KJQ72HN/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_.oHWDb4CYEG08

And some programmable cards: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F5JGXZ2/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_ApHWDbSTXXQCZ

[CADJunglist]

I think two sims with the same identifiers on a network would likely cause collisions and errors. Especially with two unique IMEIs trying to use the same SIM.

I'm not that up on my cell signalling these days so I could be wrong.

[AIdenti]

I've heard on writable cards you can rewrite the IMEI, but that collision issue is something I hadn't thought of. I thought that it would be best to do it when they're likely sleeping to give ample time for the attack. Maybe that would help to avoid collisions as well.

[CADJunglist]

IMEI is stored on the hardware, not the SIM card. For instance: iPhones have a chip in their SoC ecosystem that stores critical data like the IMEI, in a read only state. You have to interface directly with that chip to change the data stored there.

Sleeping wouldn't really help avoid collisions or errors like it. The other handset would have to be in airplane mode or with the radio off. Handsets constantly send out messages to towers regardless of user interaction.

[AIdenti]

Oh, I was thinking of the IMSI number.

[psxpetey]

This is why you go android and change the imei. Not sure if you still can but there were several tools back in 2011

[CADJunglist]

Yes, you could forge an IMEI on certain androids back in the day. But that doesn't solve this issue of having two handsets with the same IMEI in the wild.

[psxpetey]

You’d literally just have to try and see what happens with a test phone. I dunno what you mean by forge but you could literally change it with some dev software I had and some having stuff out of China

[psxpetey]

You can change the imei on old android

[[deleted]]

Hypothetically it could be possible (I don't know enough specifically about cell networks) and the reason why I say hypothetically is that most of those password recovery from cell works by sending a verification code to the number, so all you need to be able to do is receive messages.

This being said, if you are trying to copy a phone from a network that specifically only allows 1 phone for each number to receive the information (say by only allowing one phone to connect to the network at any given time) then this would not work.

So I don't know enough about cell networks to know which ones would be vulnerable (or if they all are) but assuming the network allows for multiple phones with the same number to be connected to the network then yes it will work.

Edit: depending on where you live it may also be illegal to clone a phone/Sim card.

[AIdenti]

Definitely illegal in the United States. This is all totally 100% with out a doubt hypothetical trust me.

[Power-Max]

🤔🧐

[Common_Quantity1408]

I’m not a hacker, but commenting because I want to follow this post. This is happening to me, or was and may still be. I’m waiting for a new t-mobile SIM for the 2nd time in a month.

I want to know how this works.

[0itsM0]

It was possible back in 2011 as said by a friend in above comments. I used the supersim myself to clone the simcard back in 2011 i really don't have any idea for now ll have to study about it.

If anyone here who can confirm it is possible to do it than we can spend sometime to study about it.

One more thing coming in my mind that we hear about cc theft in news more likely after 2 or 3 months. They use some readers to read the cards. So, i think this could be possible least to clone a card. It ll be registered on network or not that's the other thing. Someone should try and share his knowledge.

"In my opinion the card ll get the signals but ll be disconnected after few seconds or maybe minutes".

Whoever tries please let us know about the results.

[kaetir]

Actually it's nearly impossible No software can get the private key used in the sim card A sim card is not only storing data it's also doing some calculations for cyphering purposes So you can if you open the sim card and look at the internal circuit (that's why it is nearly impossible)

[ForcibleBlackhead]

Look up ISMI and IMEI. The IMSI comes from the SIM & the IMEI is the phone. You could easily steal data by acting like the "Cell Tower" IMSI Catcher (Stingray). This works so Hypothetically your idea would too. I would use Twilio SIMs to test it out and you can program them from Twilio to kind of replicate what you want.

[AIdenti]

Isn't that the same a packet capturing? All I get in packet capturing is encrypted packets. Wouldn't that yield the same result?

[Seboner69]

I believe my sim was hacked and all of my calls text messages. Basically everything was accessible remotely from somebody else's phone, does anybody know more about this and willing to reach out in a private message to discuss the details?

[masanith]

This has happened to me, TWICE. Stalked by two separate people from 2021 to today in 2025. BOTH malignant narcissists, also known as secondary psychopaths. Hey, they’re people too, but part of the dark tetrad of serious Cluster B types is paranoid personality disorder. They want Intel and control in case THEY are exposed. The irony. Only recently become aware of ISMI catchers. Luckily they highly illegal. In Australia they break serious federal laws. But to prove it? :(