China Dismisses Concerns About Olympic Participants’ Cyber Security

The Chinese government has slapped down criticism after several countries’ national Olympic committees advised their athletes not to take personal mobile devices to Beijing for the upcoming Winter Games due to hacking and surveillance risks.

Organizers of the controversial games defended the security of a mobile app which all participants and attendees are required to download and use. Expert researchers in Canada have raised concerns about “a simple but devastating flaw” in the Chinese-designed app, which will hold users’ demographic information, health and travel history, and other personal data.

Athletes from the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Australia, among others, are being counseled not to use personal phones or laptops in Beijing during the games.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee advised athletes in recent months that “every device, communication, transaction and online activity may be monitored” while they are in China.

“Your device(s) may also be compromised with malicious software, which could negatively impact future use.”

The report said members of Team USA should consider taking cheap, disposable phones along instead.