False Start for the EU Age Verification App: Can Be Hacked in Two Minutes

Recently, Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the EU age verification app is "technically ready". A first look at the publicly released source code of the app highlighted several issues.

Security is a Concern

As pointed out by various security experts, the app is not yet truly ready due to numerous security flaws that have emerged from an initial investigation of the code. Currently, it would only take a couple of minutes to bypass the app's security systems, rendering the app ineffective or insecure.

Regarding this issue, Thomas Regnier, spokesperson for digital affairs, emphasized that "the age verification app in the EU is open source to ensure maximum transparency and allow the developer community to test it and report potential issues." The reports have allowed for the identification of the application's weaknesses: an update is already in the works and will be released soon, making the app more secure and perhaps genuinely "technically ready" to be made available to all European citizens.

Let’s remember that the app has already faced criticism as it requires users to have a Google account on Android and an Apple account on iPhone to be used. Currently, it is not possible to use the app on Android devices without Google services, on desktop machines, and on other platforms.

Thus, the project still has some critical issues to resolve in the near future. The EU will need to work hard to find the right balance, make the app sufficiently secure, and ensure its use without requiring Google or Apple accounts.