Cyberattacks that target mobile devices and services can impact anyone, but the risk is especially great against politicians, journalists, activists, and public figures. Now a relatively new mobile carrier promises extra special protection against mobile threats.
Cape, a Washington, D.C.-based mobile provider promotes its service as built with privacy and security at its core. Cape operates as an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), which means it doesn’t have its own mobile network but sells its branded wireless service using the network of another provider. For this, Cape partners with US Cellular.
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However, the company also uses its own software, allowing it to securely manage customer data. With security in mind, Cape said it’s able to limit the collection of personal data and control how users authenticate their accounts. Further, it can manage such aspects as internet access, call routing, and data sharing. The goal is to better ward off security threats that impact a customer’s mobile privacy.
Touted as more robust than privacy apps, VPNs, and privacy-minded browsers, Cape’s service looks for vulnerabilities at the cellular network level. As such, it offers the following security features:
- Location obfuscation – Here, customers can change the unique identifiers associated with their mobile phones to stop location tracking and profiling.
- Ad identifier rotation – This feature prevents advertisers and data brokers from collecting information about a customer’s app use and browser history.
- Enhanced signaling protection – Offering stronger protection than the typical firewall, this feature combats signaling or SS7 attacks through which attackers can intercept calls and texts and track your location.
- SIM swap protection – This feature uses sophisticated cryptology to prevent unauthorized SIM transfers.
- Data privacy commitment – Here, Cape asks for a minimal amount of information for subscribers to get service and promises to delete that data when no longer needed.
Launched earlier this year, Cape’s service was available only to government users. Now the service is open to several different groups. These include:
- Elected officials, high-level executives, and celebrities are at risk of location stalking and SIM swaps.
- Lawyers, health care providers, and cybersecurity experts who work with confidential clients and sensitive information.
- Journalists and activists whose work can subject them to surveillance and location tracking.
- Domestic abuse survivors may be tracked by their abusers.
With mobile threats a potential risk for anyone, Cape said it will launch a similar privacy-minded service for the general public early next year.
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Aside from greater security, Cape offers premium 4G/5G cellular coverage and unlimited talk and text. For now, the service includes a pre-configured Android phone. However, starting in early 2025, subscribers will be able to bring their own up-to-date devices to the plan. Anyone interested in signing up with Cape can submit a form through the company’s contact page.
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“Most privacy solutions—like specialized apps or burner phones—focus primarily on app and device-level threats,” Andy Makridis, former Chief Operations Officer of the CIA, said in a press release. “Yet, some of the most serious vulnerabilities stem from network-level weaknesses. By addressing both device and network security, Cape offers a broader layer of protection against sophisticated threats.”
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