EU border software vulnerable to hacks, confidential reports warn
While there is no evidence that any SIS II data was accessed or stolen, a breach 'would be catastrophic, potentially affecting millions of people', said Romain Lanneau, a legal researcher at EU watchdog Statewatch.
SIS II, which was first implemented in 2013, is part of an EU-wide effort to strengthen the bloc's external borders using digital and biometric technologies at a moment in which governments around the world are taking tougher stances on migration. The system allows member states to issue and view real-time alerts when tagged individuals, a group that includes terror suspects and people with outstanding arrest warrants, attempt to cross an EU border.
SIS II, which currently runs on an isolated network, will eventually be integrated with the EU's Entry/Exit System, which will automate registration of the bloc's hundreds of millions of annual visitors. EES will be connected to the internet, which could make it easier for hackers to access the highly sensitive SIS II database, the report warns.
Alerts issued by SIS II can contain photos of suspects and biometric data such as fingerprints taken from crime scenes. Since March 2023, the alerts have also incorporated so-called 'return decisions' – legal rulings that flag a person for deportation. While the vast majority of the system's estimated 93 million records relate to objects such as stolen vehicles and identity documents, about 1.7 million are linked to people.
Of those, 195,000 have been flagged as possible threats to national security. Since individuals don't generally know that their information is in SIS II until law enforcement acts on it, a leak could potentially make it easier for a wanted person to evade detection.
The audit determined that SIS II was vulnerable to hackers overwhelming the system, as well as attacks that could enable outsiders to gain unauthorized access, documents show.
A spokesperson for EU-Lisa, the agency that oversees large-scale IT projects such as SIS II, said the agency couldn't comment on confidential documents, but that 'all systems under the agency's management undergo continuous risk assessments, regular vulnerability scans, and security testing.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Government seeks to beef up Ireland's competitiveness
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is to be given new powers and there will be a significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI) as part of a range of measures aimed at boosting competitiveness. On Monday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin is hosting a competitiveness summit along with Tánaiste Simon Harris and enterprise minister Peter Burke as trade talks between the EU and US enter a crucial phase. Under plans to protect the economy, three pilot clusters will be set up to enable collaboration between businesses, research centres, and third-level institutions, in particular high-potential and high-growth sectors. Critical skills review A critical skills review will also be completed by the end of the year to inform how to prioritise skills-based migration for those sectors facing particular shortages, including the tourism industry. The Taoiseach has met with most of the multinationals based here in recent months, and when he was last in US, the key message was the EU, and as part of that Ireland, is falling behind on AI because of over-regulation instead of innovation. A key focus will now be on investing in AI, speeding up policymaking, and reducing red tape to give Ireland an edge. The meeting, which will be attended by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, will include a presentation by Frances Ruane, chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council on the recommendations in the forthcoming Ireland's Competitiveness Challenge report. 'Major investment needed' Mr Burke has stressed the importance of actions that must be taken now to improve the country's competitive offering and retain jobs. He will tell colleagues that a major investment is needed to ensure we do not lose out on jobs of the future and action must to be taken now on six key areas to attract foreign direct investment. Mr Harris will tell the summit the focus must be on working constructively to protect Irish jobs and investment and shield Irish businesses and consumers from any negative impacts. A competitiveness action plan, expected to be finalised in the coming weeks, will help insulate businesses from some of the global trade uncertainty. With the clock ticking to Donald Trump's July 9 deadline, Mr Burke struck a cautionary note on Sunday, saying the 'best case' scenario is now agreeing an outline framework that would then create a pathway to further negotiation between the US and EU. 'Obviously, there are number of areas that the EU are looking for, zero for zero carve-outs and favoured nation status,' he told RTÉ's This Week. 'These centre on aviation, life science, semiconductors, and spirits,' Mr Burke said.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Letters to the Editor: Marches show Palestinians that we have not forgotten them
The marches for peace may seem pointless to some observers, but they show the people of Gaza they are not forgotten and to put moral pressure on governments to help end the out-of-control war by Israel's forces on a defenceless 2.2m population; the key word here is 'defenceless'. And it's fewer than 2.2m Palestinians now as no one can say for sure how many unarmed civilians have been killed by Israel's missiles, drone bombs, tank rocket fire, and shootings by Israel's military. The current estimate is 55,000 people dead with far more injured, some with limbs amputated. Many are homeless and many lie dead under bombed buildings. On May 29, volunteers near the Houses of Parliament in Westminster read out names of 16,000 children killed in the war in Gaza. It took 18 hours — 300 names were read out by each volunteer. It was to also highlight the starving children and the indiscriminate bombing in Gaza. On June 7, 300,000 people marched in Rome. They believe Italy's government has also been silent on the war in Gaza. One of their banners read: 'Stop the massacre, stop complicity.' On June 15, The Hague in the Netherlands saw a march of 150,000 people; 100,000 people marched in Brussels, Belgium. The EU is not united in taking action against Israel's horror war in Gaza. EU countries such as Ireland, Norway, and Spain speak out independently. The founders of the ECSC in 1951, later renamed the EEC and then the EU in 1993 worked for economic co-operation for peace in Europe after the Second World War. They are long gone but I hope they would want the EU to be a strong voice for a tormented population in Gaza from a war aimed now very much to possibly push them out of Gaza where they have lived legally for generations, recognised by the UN, and is their home. We hope Hamas will return the remaining hostages taken from Israel in October 2023, some of them are dead, to their families. Hamas needs to show humanity too. On June 17, King Abdullah II of Jordan said of Gaza to the European Parliament: 'If our global community fails to act decisively, we become complicit in rewriting what it means to be human.' Mary Sullivan, College Rd, Cork Parking at Páirc Uí Caoimh Cars, cars, and more cars — yet still no bicycle parking. After years of planning conditions, countless requests, petitions, and patient waiting, it is astonishing that Páirc Uí Chaoimh remains utterly devoid of dedicated spaces for bicycles. Meanwhile, efforts to accommodate motor vehicles continue unchallenged. During a recent visit to a football match with the stadium only half filled, I saw hundreds of bicycles chained to fences, railings, and anything remotely secure. This wasn't an isolated scene — it was a clear sign of public demand. People of all ages want to cycle to the grounds, but the infrastructure simply isn't there to support it. Why does the board and stadium management persist in ignoring this? The appetite for sustainable travel is real. It's time the powers that be took action. Harry Murphy, Blackrock Rd, Cork Unfair taxation The State taxes persons and companies to raise the funds to pay for the services it supplies for the benefit of everyone. Ideally, the proportion of tax on persons and on businesses is fair and balanced. But when large corporations or vested interests lobby the government and get special contracts, or favourable grants or special deals, it's the shareholders, company directors, and princes of industry who reap the benefits in the excess profits that are made by those companies and shareholders. But those grants, special deals and favourable terms must be paid for from somewhere. That somewhere is increased taxes on, you guessed it, Joe and Mary Taxpayer. So the system is designed (rigged) to enrich the already rich at the expense of the poor and ordinary Joe and Mary who suffer on with fewer services, fewer opportunities, and more struggles against systems that don't work for them. The social contract whereby the State guarantees equal opportunity for all and a fair sharing out of the State's resources and services is broken, evidenced by the lack of adequate housing, healthcare, education, recreation, and other services. Joe and Mary get the opportunity to change the system every five years. Use it. Kevin T Finn, Mitchelstown, Co Cork Shame on the West I watched Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, the BBC commissioned but never shown documentary that Channel 4 more bravely broadcast last week. It is hard to understand why the BBC didn't broadcast it. It is beyond inexplicable to me and countless millions of ordinary people of goodwill globally how Netanyahu's regime is quite literally getting away with murder on a large scale in full view of the world. But we have known from quite early on after the terrible massacre of October 7, 2023, that Israel's vengeance against innocent Gazans, including humanitarian workers, would be massively disproportionate and sanctioned by the global powers. We cannot claim ignorance. It is even more incredible to those of us horrified by the plight of the Gazans that, with a few exceptions including Ireland, leaders and governments of the so called advanced nations are doing absolutely nothing to stop the suffering of the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank, and in many instances are actively supporting Israel militarily and morally. There is a strong sense that governments are not properly reflecting the humanitarian concerns of their voters for Gazan suffering, in the US, in Britain, and across the EU. The Middle East is on the doorstep of Europe and as the US is currently a political basket case it is even more incumbent on Europe to rigorously respond to the overwhelming humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza. And yet Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas have disgracefully had no problem on several occasions in beating a wimpish path to the Israelis without a mandate from the democratic structures of the EU, and yet only feel able to offer tepid statements of how 'abhorrent and unbearable' the humanitarian suffering in Gaza is without actually condemning the perpetrators of this suffering — the Netanyahu regime. This is so ineffectual and so shameful. Why are officially designated international hospital ships not lining up in the Mediterranean to offer humanitarian and medical aid to the decimated people of Gaza and why is Israel not being forced to back down by the use of diplomatic strong arm methods? Shame shame on the 'civilised' Western powers. Cynthia Carroll, Newport, Co Tipperary Br Kevin Crowley Ireland is a much poorer place following the death of Brother Kevin Crowley. A gentle gentleman who practised what he preached, but was never preachy. Those who queued outside his soup kitchen were fed, regardless of their age, religion, or colour. I hope there is a special place in the hereafter for special souls like him. Next time I am asked what is 'Irishness', I'll just refer them to the life of Br Kevin — RIP. Seán Kelly, Tramore, Co Waterford Sinister removal of President's portrait The removal of a portrait of President Michael D Higgins from Belfast City Hall by Tracy Kelly, the DUP lord mayor, just days before the annual 'Eleventh Night' bonfires, is a sinister development. As we approach the Orange Order marching season and bonfires which are an integral part of loyalist culture, nationalist society is forced to endure the sectarian burning of Irish flags and posters of nationalist political representatives. Many of these bonfires contain vast imitation funeral pyres adorned with nationalist and republican effigies of people who were voted for, in the main, by Catholics. We are told that these bonfires are inclusive celebrations of loyalist culture where everyone is welcome and respected. This 'respect' does not appear to include the thousands who vote for the politicians whose images, names, and symbols are consumed in numerous celebratory conflagrations. It would be most regrettable if images of President Higgins were to adorn these bonfires as a result of the decision to remove his portrait. Were Jewish, Muslim, or black people's representatives so depicted, it would rightfully be called racist. Why is it acceptable for nationalist representatives to be so depicted? In the context of an explicitly Protestant celebration it is sectarian. Incredibly, many grand officers of the Orange Order are also Church of Ireland ministers. If the Orange Order and the Church of Ireland cannot come out and account for itself, are there ordinary members not afraid to openly protest this cancerous scandal? Tom Cooper, Pearse St, Dublin 2
Irish Examiner
11 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Jim Power: Weak dollar adds to challenges for the EU — including Ireland
As we approach the end of the first six months of US president Donald Trump's second coming, we can conclude that it has been dramatic, chaotic, uncertain, volatile — or whatever other adjective one chooses. However, the significant decline in the value of the dollar has been one of the most noteworthy developments. One might be tempted to conclude that the descent of the dollar is indicative of failure and a loss of confidence in its primacy, but this is exactly what Mr Trump set out to do. Mr Trump seems to be forcing the US's trading partners into a 'Mar-a-Lago accord', which is the idea that the US could compel other countries to accept a weaker dollar and lower interest rates on their US Treasury investments in order to be still protected by the US security umbrella. This has shades of the 'Plaza Accord' of 1985, where the UK, France, West Germany, and Japan agreed to work with the US to weaken the dollar. Why Trump wants a weaker dollar The reason Mr Trump wants a weaker dollar is because he believes that the strong dollar has contributed to the demise of the 'American dream' through the dismantling of the US manufacturing base and the loss of blue-collar jobs. His logic is that the reserve currency status of the dollar has damaged the US export base and forced the US to become dependent on imports, and hence become increasingly dependent on the outside world. He has set out to change this and is doing everything in his power to weaken the currency. He is succeeding. When he took office in late January, the dollar was trading around $1.0250 against the euro and, today, it is trading at just under $1.18, which is equivalent to an appreciation of about 15% in the value of the euro against the US unit. This will obviously make eurozone exports to the US much less competitive and will make imports into the US that much more expensive. Tariffs will compound the issue The big issue overlying all of this is that next week we may get some clarity on the tariff regime between the EU and US — and while a decision might be postponed further, there is a growing sense that 10% tariffs could apply on EU exports to the US eventually. This would not be a bad outcome, given how much worse it might be. However, if a 10% tariff is combined with a currency appreciation of approximately 15%, it would make EU exports to the US significantly less competitive. Mr Trump's hope is that this will force US consumers and businesses to substitute imports with domestically produced goods. Challenge for Ireland's exports As a key exporter to the US, the challenges for Ireland are clear. While there is massive global criticism of Mr Trump's policies, the US economy is still significantly outperforming the eurozone, with employment data last week showing that the labour market remains buoyant. Furthermore, data published last week shows that in May, the US collected $24.2bn (€20.5bn) in tariff revenues, which is almost four times higher than a year ago. All of this adds up to the possible conclusion that not alone is Mr Trump getting everything he wants, but the policies may be working for the US. It is still too early to jump to any definitive conclusions, but the omens so far will certainly please Mr Trump. ECB faces risk of deflation For the European Central Bank, there is now a growing concern that the appreciation of the euro will be very deflationary, with the risk that inflation might significantly undershoot the 2% rate. The only way to respond to that would be to cut interest rates further, so the outlook for Irish borrowers might just get better over the coming months.
