The FBI warns against using FaceApp

The FBI has confirmed that mobile apps developed in Russia such as the viral face editing app FaceApp pose a threat to security. The FBI warning came on December 2, describing FaceApp and other apps developed in Russia as a “potential counterintelligence threat.” This comes after the Democratic National Committee warned its 2020 presidential candidates not to use FaceApp.

In July, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader in the US Senate, called for a national security review from the FBI and FTC. There is no solid evidence that FaceApp gives people's data to the Russian government, however the FBI said in its response to Schumer's letter that the risk stems from the fact that Moscow can access communications directly through ISPs. Last summer, 100 million people downloaded the app from Google, but the developers said when asked that they were not working to “sell or share any user data with third parties.”

Ian Thornton-Trump, a faculty member at CompTIA, says the concerns are only valid if you're a big name, a company with sensitive IP or someone who works in the intelligence services. He adds: “Russia will appreciate and encourage the use of this application by anyone with a security clearance and their immediate family.” However, in general, he admits that “of course there are national security considerations with keeping any data in a hostile country or not being politically aligned.”

He also points out the “really obvious problem” which is the lack of any effective controls over commercial enterprises that may have espionage capabilities. #FaceApp #Spying #Russia