Is It Safe to Send Sensitive Information by Text?
In 2023, Americans lost $5.8 billion to text message-based financial fraud—a staggering reminder that our most common form of digital communication may also be our most vulnerable. While text messaging has become the default method for sharing everything from dinner plans to bank account details, the question "is it safe to send sensitive information by text" has never been more critical to answer.
The reality is stark: standard SMS messages offer virtually no protection for your sensitive data. Unlike secure messaging apps that encrypt your communications, text messages travel as readable text through multiple networks, creating numerous opportunities for cybercriminals to intercept your most confidential information.
This comprehensive guide examines why text message security falls short of modern standards, explores the cyber threats targeting SMS communications, and provides practical alternatives to protect your sensitive information from unauthorised access.
The Short Answer: No, It's Not Safe
When evaluating whether it's safe to send sensitive information by text, security experts universally agree: standard SMS messages are fundamentally insecure for transmitting confidential data. Text messaging security relies on outdated protocols from the 1990s that lack the robust encryption standards required to protect sensitive data in today's threat landscape.
Major data breaches continue to expose the vulnerabilities in our messaging infrastructure. The 2023 T-Mobile breach alone compromised personal data from at least 37 million customer accounts, including information contained in SMS traffic. This incident highlights how text message communications can become gateways for cybercriminals to gain unauthorised access to customer data across entire networks.
Financial institutions and healthcare providers specifically warn against using SMS messaging for transmitting regulated information. Industry standards like HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR either restrict or explicitly prohibit SMS use for sensitive data transmission. According to Federal Trade Commission guidance, legitimate banks and businesses will never request sensitive account information via text message, underscoring both the security risks and the prevalence of SMS-based fraud targeting consumers.
The infrastructure supporting SMS transmission simply wasn't designed with modern security threats in mind. While websites use HTTPS encryption with 256-bit security protocols, text messages travel as plain text through carrier networks without any encryption protection.
Why Text Messages Are Vulnerable to Security Threats
Understanding the technical limitations of SMS helps explain why sending sensitive information by text exposes you to significant network security risks. The short message service protocol operates through telecommunications infrastructure that treats security as an afterthought rather than a core feature.
SMS Messages Are Not Encrypted
The fundamental flaw in SMS security lies in its complete lack of encryption. When you send a text message, the content travels as readable text from your mobile device through multiple network hops to reach the intended recipient. This stands in stark contrast to secure communication channels that employ end-to-end encryption to protect data in transit.
While modern web browsers automatically encrypt connections using TLS protocols with 256-bit encryption, SMS relies on decades-old technology that predates current security standards. Your text message content remains accessible to anyone with access to the telecommunications backbone, carrier networks, or compromised devices at either endpoint.
Even after you delete messages from your mobile devices, the content often persists on carrier servers for weeks or months. This extended storage creates additional opportunities for malicious content to be exposed during data breaches or through unauthorised parties gaining access to carrier infrastructure.
Multiple Points of Interception
Every text message follows a complex journey that creates numerous vulnerabilities. The path from your mobile device to the recipient's device typically involves 4–6 distinct transmission points: your device to the nearest cell tower, through your carrier's network infrastructure, across any intermediary carrier networks, and finally to the recipient's device.
Each of these network hops represents a potential point where unauthorised parties can intercept your communications. The 2022 FBI warning about SS7 (Signalling System 7) network vulnerabilities specifically highlighted how the foundational protocols supporting SMS transmission remain susceptible to exploitation by both criminal actors and government surveillance programmes.
Security researchers at DEF CON 2023 demonstrated these vulnerabilities in practice, successfully intercepting over 10,000 SMS messages using readily available equipment. The demonstration showed how attackers can position themselves between network infrastructure components to capture text message communications without the knowledge of either the sender or intended recipient.
Common Attacks Targeting Text Messages
The prevalence of SMS-based attacks has grown significantly as cybercriminals recognise the inherent weaknesses in text messaging security. These attacks exploit the lack of access controls and encryption in standard messaging protocols to extract sensitive information from unsuspecting victims.
SIM Swapping Attacks
SIM swapping represents one of the most damaging attacks targeting text message communications. In these social engineering attacks, criminals convince mobile carriers to transfer a victim's phone number to a new SIM card under the attacker's control. Once successful, the attacker gains access to all SMS messages, including two-factor authentication codes and password reset messages.
The March 2024 Verizon incident exemplified how even major carriers remain vulnerable to these attacks. Criminals used social engineering techniques to convince customer service representatives to authorise SIM transfers, giving them control over victims' phone numbers and access to their digital accounts.
According to FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center data, SIM swapping attacks cost US victims over $500 million in 2023 alone. High-profile cases include the 2019 attack on Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, where criminals gained control of his phone number to post unauthorised content to his social media accounts.
SMS Phishing (Smishing)
Smishing attacks leverage the trusted nature of text messaging to deliver malicious content directly to victims' mobile devices. These attacks increased by 146% during the 2023 holiday shopping season, as criminals capitalised on increased online shopping activity to send fake delivery notifications and promotional offers.
Typical smishing messages appear to come from trusted institutions like banks, retailers, or service providers. They often include urgent language designed to pressure recipients into clicking malicious links or providing login credentials.
What Information You Should Never Text
Regulatory guidance from financial and healthcare industries provides clear direction on what types of sensitive information should never be transmitted through standard SMS messaging.
Financial Information
Never send any financial data through text messages, including credit card details, bank account numbers, routing information, ATM PINs, or investment account credentials. The Federal Trade Commission explicitly states that legitimate financial institutions will never request this information via text message, making any such request a clear indicator of fraud.
Personal Identification Data
Avoid texting any government-issued identification numbers, including driver's licence numbers, passport details, or state ID information. Even seemingly harmless information like photos of official documents can provide criminals with sufficient detail to enable unauthorised access to accounts or services.
Work-Related Confidential Information
Business communications containing customer data, proprietary information, trade secrets, or employee records should never be transmitted through standard text messaging. The lack of access controls in SMS means that confidential business information remains vulnerable throughout its transmission and storage lifecycle.
Cellcrypt Messaging: A Secure Alternative to SMS
To protect your communications, consider upgrading to a secure messaging app such as Cellcrypt. Unlike standard SMS, Cellcrypt utilises military-grade end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only you and your intended recipient can read the messages.
Key Features of Cellcrypt:
- End-to-End Encryption: Blocks unauthorised access by securing your messages during transmission and storage.
- Regulatory Compliance: Aligns with industry standards, so organisations can maintain compliance and protect their reputation.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works seamlessly across iOS, Android, and desktop systems, making it easy to implement without disrupting daily workflows.
- Centralised Management (for Businesses): Offers administrative controls that help companies manage user permissions, data retention, and policy compliance.
How to Protect Yourself When Using SMS
While secure messaging apps, such as Cellcrypt, provide the best protection for sensitive information, situations may arise where SMS use becomes necessary. Implementing proper security measures can help limit access to your communications and reduce the risk of unauthorised parties gaining access to your messages.
Enable Message Encryption Where Possible
Android users can enable RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging through the Google Messages app to add basic encryption when communicating with other RCS-enabled devices. iPhone users should ensure iMessage is enabled and verify encryption status before sending potentially sensitive information.
Secure Your Device and Accounts
Enable strong authentication on your mobile device using biometric options or complex PINs to limit access if your device is lost or stolen. Turn off message previews on your lock screen to prevent unauthorised parties from reading message content without unlocking your device.
Be Vigilant About Suspicious Messages
Never click links from unknown numbers or respond to urgent-sounding messages requesting sensitive information. Legitimate organisations use secure communication channels for sensitive requests and will never ask for confidential data through unsolicited text messages.
Conclusion
The question "is it safe to send sensitive information by text" has a clear answer: standard SMS messaging lacks the security protocols necessary to protect confidential data in today's threat landscape. With $5.8 billion lost to SMS-based fraud in 2023 and major data breaches exposing millions of text message communications, the risks of using unencrypted messaging for sensitive information far outweigh any convenience benefits.
The technical limitations of SMS—including the lack of encryption, multiple interception points, and vulnerable network infrastructure—make it wholly unsuitable for transmitting financial information, personal identification data, or confidential business communications.
Secure messaging apps like Cellcrypt offer practical alternatives that provide the same convenience as SMS while implementing end-to-end encryption and other security protocols necessary to protect sensitive data. The convenience of SMS texting doesn't justify the security risks when handling sensitive information.
Whether you're sharing financial details, personal identification, or confidential business data, choosing secure messaging platforms protects both your privacy and the trust of those who depend on you to safeguard their information. Make the switch to encrypted messaging for anything confidential—your security and peace of mind depend on it.