newfangled enquiry claims that Hong Kong ’s covid-19 contact tracing app has a server of security problem that could divulge sore user datum . The urban center ’s reception : We do n’t eff what you guys are talking about .
The Hong Kong political science launched theLeaveHomeSafeapp in November of 2020 to facilitate track and combat the pandemic . uncommitted for Io and Android , the app collects data on a user ’s localisation as they travel around the city , pluck the information from barcode scans at local restaurants . That might seem pretty innocuous , but given the political turmoil in the urban center over the retiring several age , Hong Kong occupant are n’t the most trusting these days . The app quickly became a field of controversy , when local residentsbegan express concernsthat the app might actually be a instrument of authorities surveillance .
In May , the crowdfunded journalism non - profit FactWire reverse organise the app andfound evidenceof a facial detection module inside the computer code . However , it could not be determined whether the module was actually being used or not .

Photo: Anthony Kwan (Getty Images)
Now , different researchers say that the app has even more job : namely , a horde of security issuesthat could“allow hackers to get at ID numbers , visit records or vaccination and examination information ” under the right circumstances .
The inquiry in question was produced by 7ASecurity , a cybersecurity firm based in Poland . In a recently publishedreport , the researchers write that while they could not “ once and for all rise malicious intent or unauthorized trailing of Hong Kong citizens , ” the app has serious protection flaws that could result in the leak or theft of drug user data point .
In astatementpublished to its site on Thursday , the Hong Kong government said that there “ has never been any security or privacy - related incidents ” in connectedness with the apps . The government further take note that it “ regrets and steadfastly fight back the inaccurate composition and unjust allegations ” made in the reputation .

Covid tracking has dire outcome in China . At least a million masses were understrict lockdown in Wuhanas of Wednesday after three cases were observe there . Enormous factories run away by the ilk ofFoxconn and Huaweihave keep workers on website for 24 time of day a twenty-four hours to prevent picture and keep the adeptness run . Shanghai haslocked down tens of jillion of peoplemultiple meter over the past six months .
For their part , the researchers seem to be somewhat certain of their findings . “ The finish of this engagement was to have an independent third party verify whether the functionary LeaveHomeSafe privacy and security claim , conspicuously exhibit on the app home page , are exact , ” theywrite . The report goes on :
… [ we ] managed to spot a total of 12 findings , 8 of which were class as security vulnerabilities and 4 as general weakness with downcast development potential . Please observe that 3 of the determination in this report had an estimated severity grade of high or decisive . This poor answer strongly suggests that the LeaveHomeSafe mobile apps have not been audit by any competent security department firm antecedently .

you may register 7ASecurity ’s full report on the security issueshere .
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