Press release on the STAYAWAY COVID mobile application

30th June 2020

The Institute for Systems and Computers Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC), the Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto (ISPUP), and the Keyruptive and Ubirider spin-offs were responsible for developing the app, in partnership with the Portuguese National Cybersecurity Centre (CNCS).

The development project was promoted by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), within the scope of the National Initiative in Digital Skills e.2030, Portugal INCoDe.2030

The system, the mobile applications and the back-end servers are currently being tested.

Google and Apple analysis

The Android version is still waiting for Google’s review. The iOS version is pending authorisation from Apple, namely concerning the application’s access to the Exposure Notification interface.

Data protection and cybersecurity

On June 29, the Portuguese Data Protection Authority (CNPD) issued a statement on the Data Protection Impact Assessment previously conducted. In general, CNPD agrees with the outcome of the assessment, and with the actions planned to mitigate the identified risks; however, the CNPD pointed out the importance of addressing certain elements that are still inadequately defined or considered, during the upcoming reviews. CNPD also mentioned the need to provide a legal framework for the system’s operation, proposing recommendations for the system’s use during the future, in order to achieve a high-level of protection (particularly concerning interoperability with applications from other countries). As expected, and following the decision made by CNPD, INESC TEC will review the impact assessment, taking into account the critical aspects identified and the relevant recommendations.

The Portuguese National Cybersecurity Centre has been following the development of the app, in order to analyse the system's vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks.

Liaison with official entities

The Government - through the Ministries of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Economy and Digital Transition, and Health - has been monitoring the development of the application.

Interoperability

The INESC TEC team has collaborated with several European research teams in charge of developing similar systems; these partnerships focused on the design and implementation of the DP3T protocol, particularly concerning the interoperability of the different national applications.

INESC TEC is working to make the STAYWAY COVID application interoperable with the Swiss system from the get-go. Similar efforts are being made with the teams in charge of developing the German and Spanish apps.

The STAYAWAY app is voluntary, non-intrusive and non-discriminatory, ensuring the users' privacy and data protection. STAYAWAY COVID detects the physical proximity between smartphones, and informs its users if they had any contact - at least 15 minutes - with someone infected over the previous 14 days.

For further inquiries:

Eunice Oliveira

Communication Service

INESC TEC

FEUP Campus

Rua Dr Roberto Frias

4200-465 Porto

Portugal

P +351 22 209 4297

M +351 934 224 331

eunice.i.oliveira@inesctec.pt

www.inesctec.pt

Porto - June 30, 2020