{"id":958,"date":"2020-11-09T03:59:13","date_gmt":"2020-11-09T03:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/?p=1327130"},"modified":"2020-11-09T03:59:13","modified_gmt":"2020-11-09T03:59:13","slug":"pardon-the-intrusion-30-your-data-is-up-for-sale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=958","title":{"rendered":"Pardon the Intrusion #30: Your data is up for sale"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Subscribe to this bi-weekly newsletter here<\/a>!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Welcome to the latest edition of Pardon The Intrusion, TNW\u2019s <\/span>bi-weekly newsletter<\/a> in which we explore the wild world of security.<\/p>\n

During the first wave of COVID-19, contact tracing apps were touted as THE BIG SOLUTION to tackling the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most countries rolled out their own versions, and later Apple and Google together built a unified exposure notification API that works across Android and iOS.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is all well and good, but there\u2019s been no <\/span>actual<\/a> <\/span>evidence<\/a> yet they\u2019re helping to stop COVID-19.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there are the privacy and security worries. Contact tracing apps often rely on Bluetooth and location tracking as a means to alert people who\u2019ve been near someone who has tested positive.<\/span><\/p>\n

One such app is <\/span>Aarogya Setu<\/a>, which is the Indian government\u2019s official nationwide coronavirus tracker.<\/span><\/p>\n

After <\/span>concerns<\/a> were repeatedly raised about the app\u2019s use of GPS data, the Android version of the app was eventually <\/span>open-sourced in May<\/a> (the iOS version has not been made available to date).<\/span><\/p>\n

But apparently, there\u2019s more to worry about. India\u2019s <\/span>Central Information Commission<\/a> has now warned the country\u2019s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for \u201cobstruction of information and providing an evasive reply\u201d to questions raised by activist Saurav Das about the app\u2019s conception, including details of private sector involvement.<\/span><\/p>\n

MeitY did put out a <\/span>statement<\/a> to address the issue, insisting the \u201capp has been developed in the most transparent manner and all details and documents including Privacy Policy and Aarogya Setu <\/span>Data Access & Knowledge Sharing<\/a> Protocols.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While there is no denying contact tracing apps can be useful to track real-time spikes in exposures, transparency and accountability will go a long way towards instilling trust in the technology.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s trending in security?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The gang behind Maze ransomware <\/span>shut down<\/a>, offline messaging app Bridgefy added <\/span>end-to-end encryption<\/a>, and NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden was granted <\/span>permanent residency<\/a> in Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n