If you’re using an eSIM for international travel, you may be taking on more risk than you realize. A coworker recently joined a nonprofit cybersecurity cohort hosted by Ericius Security (ericiussecurity.org), and one of the key takeaways was a warning about consumer eSIM providers.
An eSIM is a digital, built-in version of a traditional SIM card that lets you activate a cellular plan without inserting a physical chip. The problem? Launching an eSIM service is easy, and some providers may be operated by or routed through malicious actors, including nation-states. Common consumer options to avoid include Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Yesim, and BNESIM.
Safer alternatives fall into three categories:
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Privacy-focused providers: Saily (saily.com, Lithuania/NordVPN team), Ubigi (cellulardata.ubigi.com, France/Japan routing), GigSky (gigsky.com, U.S.-based), and Roamless (roamless.com, U.S.-based)
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Your primary carrier’s international plan, which uses established roaming agreements and predictable routing
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UK/EU-based global operators, which operate under stronger privacy laws (GDPR) with formal network agreements
For workers in sensitive areas, this is worth a close look before your next trip.
Helpful article! Thank you!