Apple-Google Virus Tracking Plan Carries Data Security Risks

Apple and Google’s ambitious Covid-19 contact tracing plan creates a tempting target for cybercriminals looking for sensitive health data to find out who’s been infected with the coronavirus.

The companies have acknowledged the security risk in a tracking system potentially involving the personal data of millions of people. They’re building in a range of security measures, including anonymous identifiers and encryption keys that change every 15 minutes.

Still, beleaguered public health agencies in the program, without the tech giants’ resources and know-how, could violate common law standards and face costly litigation if they’re not careful about their data protection measures, ...