The corona apps from various countries, including the Belgian Coronalert, have to deal with privacy problems by Google. Pre-installed apps on Android devices could access the data.

 

The problem is in a log file on Android devices where sensitive contact tracing information is stored. Tech site The Markup writes this, partly based on a blog by privacy researchers AppCensus.

This concerns potentially sensitive health data, for example, whether the owner has been in contact with someone who later turned out to be infected with the coronavirus. That data is supposed to be anonymous but does not seem to be stored anonymously now.

According to the website, the standard in the Android operating system can be with that log file. These are already pre-installed applications when you buy the device, such as the calendar app from your manufacturer.

In total, there are hundreds of these apps, spread over different devices, that could request information from the log file.

AppCensus says it reported the problem in February, but Google would not have solved it for a long time. A spokesperson told The Markup that a solution had been rolled out in the meantime. No personal information would have been misused via the bug, according to the tech giant.