MY2022: Security Concerns in Chinese Olympics App

January 21, 2022

Amid the cybersecurity concerns in Chinese Olympics App, National Olympic Committees (NOC) are advising athletes from some western countries to leave personal devices at home or use temporary phones, at the Winter Games in Beijing.

Highlights

NOCs will provide their athletes and staff with temporary devices to do away the security risks and combat any surveillance during Games.
The Games are scheduled to take place from February 4 to February 20 in Beijing, China.

United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Advisory

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee advisory states that, it should be assumed that every text, online visit, email and application access can be compromised or monitored.
The advisory suggests to use rental or disposable laptops and phones while in Beijing or delete all data from personal devices before and after travelling.
It also recommends the members to install virtual private networks (VPNs) on devices before leaving United States.
It further notes that, though there are safeguards in place for protecting their systems and data, there should be “no expectation of privacy or data security or privacy while they operate in China.

Advisory from other countries

Canadian Olympic Committee has also advised members to consider leaving personal devices at home and be extra careful, since Olympics presented a unique opportunity for cybercrime.
Swiss and Swedish committees will also provide new devices to their team and have briefed them to take measures against cybersecurity.
British Olympic Association had also given athletes and staff practical advice with respect to take their personal devices to Beijing. They would provide temporary devices to athletes who wanted them.

MY2020 app

The MY2022 app will be used by all attendees for monitoring their health, specially to monitor covid-19 daily. However, it contains security flaws. App fails to provide encryption on its files, and has security weaknesses leaving users exposed to data breaches.

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