Security News > 2022 > November > World Cup apps pose a data security and privacy nightmare

With mandated spyware downloads to tens of thousands of surveillance cameras equipped with facial-recognition technology, the World Cup in Qatar next month is looking more like a data security and privacy nightmare than a celebration of the beautiful game.

"Ehteraz is able to install an encrypted file which claims to hold a unique ID, QR code, infection status, configuration parameters and proximity data of other devices using the app," Tom Lysemose Hansen, CTO and co-founder of app security firm Promon told The Register.

After reviewing the two apps, France's data protection agency CNIL suggested bringing a burner phone to keep your information safe from prying eyes - and ears.

When asked about security concerns related to the two apps, a spokesperson for Germany's data protection agency BfDI told The Register it is working with the the German Foreign Ministry and the German Federal Office for Information Security to investigate Etheraz and Hayya.

The bottom line, according to Hansen, is that by downloading these apps, which are required to visit Qatar and attend the World Cup, users are forced to "Hand over all sensitive IP on a silver platter upon arrival."

"All personal content, the ability to edit it, share it, extract it as well as data from other apps on your device is in their hands. Moderators will even have the power to unlock users' devices remotely."

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/11/11/world_cup_security/