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Cloudflare introduced Zero Trust SIM, an upcoming solution that runs on eSIM cards to secure all smartphone traffic.

There are numerous smartphone security solutions available in today’s market. Agents are a common approach, wherein a vendor deploys a software program on a smartphone to monitor the device. According to Cloudflare, the approach is outdated.

The organization recently announced a new security solution for smartphones. Zero Trust SIM runs on the eSIM card of smartphones instead of the operating system. The product offers multiple security measures, including VPN connectivity, host validation and DNS filtering.

Zero Trust SIM

“While applications and endpoint agents are an important part of the security stack, they can’t secure all traffic across every device, and can be challenging to deploy at scale”, the organization described during the announcement. “To help fill this gap Cloudflare is developing the Zero Trust SIM, the industry’s first zero trust solution to secure mobile employee devices at the SIM level, protecting every packet of data.”

The solution focuses on companies that provide smartphones to employees. Smartphones can be just as vulnerable to cyberattacks as desktops and laptops. In addition to data theft prevention, Cloudflare’s upcoming solution ensures that stolen or hacked smartphones are unusable for attacks on corporate networks.

eSIM

The upcoming solution runs on eSIM cards, also known as digital SIM cards. Digital SIM cards allow a SIM card to be swapped without replacing the physical card. Like traditional SIM cards, eSIM cards are responsible for all the traffic sent by a smartphone.

“Software agents are imperfect and may not be able to handle every type of traffic”, Cloudflare continued. “Because every data packet leaving a device goes over the SIM, Cloudflare Zero Trust SIM will be able to help secure all of an organization’s data.”

The release date wasn’t disclosed, but Cloudflare CTO John Graham-Cumming told TechCrunch that the solution will initially be available in the United States. Over time, the organization plans to expand globally.

Mobile network operators

In addition to Zero Trust SIM, Cloudflare announced a new partner program for telecom providers. The organization wants to collaborate with mobile network operators (MNOs) to offer secure access service edge (SASE) services. In a blog, the organization invited interested operators to get in touch and discuss the possibilities.

Tip: Cloudflare launches its own VPN service Warp