The only way for this hack to work is the hacker bribing someone at the cell phone sim company? Or can hacker just know your cell phone number?
There's no bribing required just to hack someone's phone number and use it to gain the number's owner's information. It is called
social engineering in which the attacker would act like he owns the number or he has connections with you, every lies are possible to gain the sim company's help.
If bribing then how does hacker know which cell phone network provider your with to begin with in the 1st place? Shall I assume hacker is already known to sim company or have a already existing relationship with someone at the sim company or does sim company employees nowadays accept any bribe for any amount offered? How does the hacker and sim company employee cover the traces of the bribe? Does the first few digits of a cell phone number reveal which cell phone network sim provider you are with?
As Far as i know each and every network provider has differences with their phone numbers. i.e. AT&T number's starts with 22 while the other company starts with 55. Therefore, it would be easy to know your network provider by simply knowing your number alone.
So these sim swap hacks are organised in advance right? and if so how do they know their chosen victim is worth their hack and time? Usually is it the victim with lots of bitcoins? Yeah everybody knows bitcoins are on a public not private block chain that can be viewed by anyone. So small time bag hodlers are not victims of this, only the rich whales?
Any one can be an attacker's victim. It would only depend on what would be his purpose and his motivations to do such actions.
This hack can target individuals only, not groups of people at the same time right?
Nope, even the government can be hacked or even a country, depending on how firm your security is.
Does Google 2FA stop sim swap hacks?
Nope, there is an attack that can bypass incoming texts to be sent to your mobile number and the attacker can simply read it. Hence, if he gained access with your number, he can do whatever he wants to do with it.
So any website that uses normal sms text verification can be sim swap hacked?
Everything is hackable and penetrable, hence, nothing even your own sim is secured to attacks.
If hacker already knows password to victim email account then no sim swap hack required? Just hacker requesting password changes. The sim swap hack is just needed to access the victim's email?
Unless you enable phone authorization on your email, then there's a need of your phone to change your password. Yet the bottom line is simple, he attacks you for a reason, and a single information such as phone number can lead to every attack possible with the use of that single piece of info.
Finally whats the single best most convenient way of preventing a sim swap hack?
Never let others know your number! Use separate numbers as possible, from personal use, to work use number.
Take a look at my discussion thread that can be helpful with your matter:
[DISCUSSION] Why you shouldn't trust any anonymous files and applications.
