FaceApp

FBI Warns That FaceApp and Other Apps Developed in Russia Are ‘Potential Counterintelligence Threats’

The viral app concerned senators due to the amount of data that it collected, including facial scans of users.

As FaceApp took the internet by storm with its face-aging feature this summer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wondered: What are the risks posed by an app based in Russia that requires access to large amounts of user data?

He sent a letter to the FBI in July requesting a review of the app’s potential threats to Americans’ data security, and on Monday, he published the bureau’s response. In a Nov. 25 letter, Jill Tyson, the assistant director of the FBI’s Office of Congressional Affairs, wrote that the FBI considers nearly any app developed in Russia to be a “potential counterintelligence threat.”

“The FBI considers any mobile application or similar product developed in Russia, such as FaceApp, to be a potential counterintelligence threat, based on the data the product collects, its privacy and terms of use policies, and the legal mechanisms to the Government of Russia that permit access to data within Russia’s borders,” Tyson wrote.

She added that Russia’s intelligence agencies, including the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), have the ability to obtain online communications and telephone records through “robust cyber exploitation” operations.

“In other words, the FSB can remotely access all communications and servers on Russian networks without making a request to [internet service providers],” Tyson wrote.

On Monday, Schumer took the Senate floor to urge Americans to consider the potential ramifications of downloading apps produced in Russia. FaceApp has previously said that it does not store any data in Russia, where its research and development team is based, and does not share data with third parties.

“I strongly urge all Americans to consider deleting apps like FaceApp immediately and to proceed with extreme caution when downloading apps developed in foreign countries that are known adversaries,” Schumer said. “The personal data FaceApp collects from a user’s device could end up in the hands of Russian intelligence services. It is simply not worth the risk.”

In the past month, Schumer has been among several senators who have pushed for a national security review of TikTok, the video app owned by Chinese company ByteDance. (The company is currently facing scrutiny from the Department of Commerce).

Schumer connected the FaceApp saga to continuing efforts by Russian intelligence agencies to interfere in American democracy through influence campaigns and cyber attacks.

“We should be doing everything in our power to stop it and prevent that from happening, from hardening our election infrastructure to ensuring our military has the cyber authority needed to respond to attacks, to passing tough new sanctions to deter any foreign power from interfering in our elections,” Schumer said, urging McConnell to include election security measures in the Senate’s annual defense spending bill.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Survey Shows Election Anxiety Crosses Party Lines

    New reports of election worker intimidation are raising concerns about election interference. A majority of Americans (71%) are worried about voter intimidation or safety at the polls, and 75% want security cameras at their voting place, according to a new national survey. Read Now

  • 66 Percent of Cybersecurity Pros Say Job Stress is Growing

    Sixty-six percent of cybersecurity professionals say their role is more stressful now than it was five years ago, according to the newly released 2024 State of Cybersecurity survey report from ISACA, a global professional association advancing trust in technology. Read Now

  • Live from GSX 2024: Post-Show Recap

    Another great edition of GSX is in the books! We’d like to thank our great partners for this years event, NAPCO, LVT, Eagle Eye Networks and Hirsch, for working with us and allowing us to highlight some of the great solutions the companies were showcasing during the crowded show. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX
  • Research: Cybersecurity Success Hinges on Full Organizational Support

    Cybersecurity is the top technology priority for the vast majority of organizations, but moving from aspiration to reality requires a top-to-bottom commitment that many companies have yet to make, according to new research released today by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the technology industry and workforce. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3