Data protection authorities warn about applications 'Hayya' and 'Ehteraz' that are required to be installed by Qatar World Cup participants, recommending the use of disposable smartphones



People heading to the 2022 FIFA World Cup , which is scheduled to be held in Qatar from Sunday, November 20, 2022, will be required to install the app ' Hayya ' that functions as a travel permit and admission ticket. You may be required to install ' Ehteraz ', an application that tracks infections of infectious diseases (COVID-19). However, it has been pointed out that these apps have security and privacy issues, and European data protection authorities have warned people.

Don't download Qatar World Cup apps, EU data authorities warn – POLITICO
https://www.politico.eu/article/qatar-world-cup-app-data-warning/

Euro Governments Warn World Cup Fans Over Qatari Apps - Infosecurity Magazine
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/euro-authorities-world-cup-fans/

In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, all foreigners heading to the site are required to install an application called `` Hayya '' that functions as a travel permit, admission ticket, and transportation ticket. Also, when visiting a local medical institution, it is necessary to install an application called 'Ehteraz', which confirms contact with COVID-19.

However, security experts who have analyzed these apps have found that they demand far too many permissions from the smartphone on which they are installed. By exploiting the permissions requested by Hayya, it seems possible to share personal information, collect location information, prevent transition to sleep state, etc. In addition, it is reported that Ehteraz requests a wide range of permissions, including reading and deleting all content on the smartphone, changing all content on the device, accessing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and overwriting other apps.

Security experts warn that the official smartphone app that everyone who participates in the World Cup is obliged to install is 'like handing over the house key to Qatar authorities'-GIGAZINE



German data protection agency BfDI issued a warning on November 15, 2022 about Hayya and Ehteraz, which people visiting Qatar will be asked to install.

BfDI said, 'One of the apps collects data about whether a call was made and what number the call was made from.' It has also become clear that the data used by the app not only remains local, but is sent to a central server.' And if it is absolutely necessary to install the app, I recommended that you purchase a disposable smartphone separate from the one you normally use and install it there.

In a November 14 statement , Norwegian regulators warned of the broad access permissions apps require. 'There is a real possibility that visitors to Qatar, especially vulnerable groups, will be monitored by Qatari authorities,' he said.

France's data protection authority, the CNIL, warned that supporters visiting the site should pay 'special attention' to photos and videos. We recommend installing the app just before departure and removing it as soon as you return to France.

France's Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications Jean-Noël Barrot, citing a statement by the data protection authority, said: 'In France, thanks to the GDPR, all applications guarantee basic personal rights and data protection. This is not the case in Qatar, and supporters going to the Qatar World Cup should follow the CNIL's cautionary advisory.'



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in Mobile,   Software,   Security, Posted by log1h_ik