Tool Review:

Efani

Overview

Efani was founded by Haseeb Awan, a strategic entrepreneur and technologist who suffered multiple cell phone number thefts and decided to create a solution. The Efani phone plan was developed to guarantee protection from SIM hacking and other vulnerabilities, providing the highest levels of security and privacy with a full, 60-day guarantee of the product. 

According to the Efani website, the mobile phone industry receives thousands of new SIM card requests per day in a highly automated system, creating a favorable arena for hackers. Bad actors can now easily pass identity checks by gleaning data from the social media profiles of their victims. In this day and age of digitalization of everything from your identity to your money, your cell phone is often the central location for 2FA notifications that hackers can intercept to get into your personal and financial accounts. 

Efani was designed specifically to disable hackers from SIM attacks as a default. In addition to guaranteed protection from SIM thefts and hacks, the phone plan they provide encrypts all personal information and heavily insures against any financial loss with its phone plan.

  • Available to: US residents
  • Network: Users Select Verizon or AT&T as a carrier
  • Suitable for: Cell phone owners wanting a secure phone
  • Compatible with: Most phones, Apple and Android
  • Cost/Fees: $99 per month
  • Main features: SAFE Plan, which includes cell phone service with SIM hack protection, encryption, and insurance
Core Features
Coverage

Efani’s SAFE Plan operates on the top 5G Network in the US, covering 99% of Americans. Customers can chose whether they want Verizon or AT&T for their coverage. Wi-Fi calling is an added service for when a user is in location with limited coverage. 

The service costs $99 per month, per user. However, Efani does offer discounts for family plans during the first year of service, after which it reverts to $99 per phone, per month. 

The plan includes:

  • Unlimited minutes, text and data within the US, Canada, and Mexico
  • 5G Ultra Wideband Performance
  • Wi-Fi Calling
  • Hotspot
  • International data roaming
How it Works

The Efani plan replaces your current monthly cell phone service with a plan that prioritizes security and privacy. The switchover process has been refined so that it is seamless, taking only about ten minutes to get set up. No contracts or credit checks are required and the monthly fee includes tax. The first month’s payment of $99.00 includes the SIM card and cell phone service plan for that month.

Efani will take your current cell phone number, switch it to Efani, and manage the separation of your personal information from your cell phone number. At that point, they apply their proprietary technology which involves 11 layers of military-grade protection, privacy and authentication.

With the SAFE Plan, customers are treated as if their security and privacy are fundamental rights. Efani only requires minimal information to provide this secured phone service.

Fees
  • The SAFE Plan by Efani costs $99 per month per phone.
  • A 100% guarantee is in place for 60 days if you decide for any reason the plan is not for you.
  • The first month is paid in advance and includes the SIM Kit.
  • Shipping is at no cost.
  • Family plans are not available, but if you bring aboard a family member, each person gets 1 month off as a discount. So if you have 3 other people in your family, you’ll receive a free month for each of them, and 3 months off for you as well, available only during the first year.
Security Features
Authentication Procedures
  • Efani utilizes an 11-layer military-grade authentication system that makes hacking your phone virtually impossible.
  • They require a 14-days cool off period before SIM swapping
Systems and Encryption

Multiple, interlinking systems provide top security to minimize any risk of breach, including:

  • Multiple-server, silos storage with multi-factor authentication for several users
  • SO 270001:2005 SSAE 16 certified-grade data centers E2E encrypted data with zero-level authentication
  • A private VPN with state-of-the-art cryptography (i.e. Noise Protocol Framework, Curve25519, ChaCha20, etc.)
  • Data access is limited to a single IP which cannot be accessed outside the US
Staff Security
  • Efani has strict rules about staffing and requires stringent background checks as well as in-depth training for all staff members.
  • The staff screening process is equivalent to a top-level security clearance.
  • Employes are paid well above the industry average to deter problematic staffers.
  • All staff members are openly monitored (they know about it going into the job), including the use of CCTV.
Insurance Coverage

So far, Efani has enjoyed a 100% success rate with zero SIM swaps happening on their phone plan. But as an added security measure, they’ve instituted a $5 million cybersecurity insurance policy to cover any stolen funds in the rare case your accounts are hacked on the SAFE plan. While it has never been used to date, the policy provides an extra level of serenity to Efani’s customers.

Bug Bounty

Efani provides a Bug Bounty program where they will send a SIM card to security experts and researchers from around the world to test it out and look for bugs in the code. Efani uses OWASP Risk Methodology to ascertain the level of risk of each bug bounty report.

Reliability

Efani has been mentioned as a cybersecurity expert source in multiple mainstream publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and CoinDesk. These three media sources included quotes from Efani’s leadership regarding a major hack of Twitter in 2020, when dozens of media personalities (including Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey) had their Twitter accounts hacked. The company is seen as a leader in the cybersecurity industry and has experienced zero hacks since its inception in 2019.

Transparency

Efani is transparent about the technology they use, as well as all the details of their SAFE Plan. There are no pages of fine print to decipher and all information is readily available on their website. They are also transparent to employees as well as customers about how they monitor their staff as an extra security procedure, paying their team member well above the average pay in their field to deter rogue behavior.

Hacks

Efani has experienced no hacks thus far, and indeed it’s entire value proposition is helping its user base to avoid getting hacked.

User Experience
User Interface

The Efani website provides an easy to understand and detailed overview of the secured phone plan. The setup process is much quicker, simpler and less invasive than what you’d encounter with unsecured, major cell phone providers.

Customer Support

Efani provides responsive, professional phone support 24/7/365, a drastically different experience compared to communicating with major phone service providers.

Resources

Everything you would want to know about Efani is clearly spelled out on the website and FAQ sheet. Their Blog publishes relevant and up-to-date articles on all aspects of SIM card safety and other areas of cybersecurity. The content is easy to read, value driven and easily scannable for key points. Examples include:

Summary

The Efani phone plan removes the threat of SIM swaps, a problem that negatively affects thousands of people every day. The founder behind the company is an experienced technologist who was a victim of a SIM attack and has personally endeavored to create the ultimate safety solution. 

The plan is simple, not too costly, and provides multiple features that give cell phone users of the 21st century peace of mind.