Accurate geodata vs. data protection - SafeNow

In the event of an emergency, the SafeNow app gives users immediate access to available help on the ground, whether it's family, friends or professional helpers.

The SafeNow app takes the privacy of its users very seriously and is therefore very sparing with location data, for example. In the event of an alarm, however, the best information should be available. In order to implement these conflicting efforts equally successfully and not to gamble away the trust placed in us by the users, it must be ensured again and again that all services are running stably and that access to data is secured well enough.

Many penetration tests have already been carried out with external support, and load tests are regularly run to test the scalability of the systems. In addition, software from Sysdig is in use to monitor unusual activity. However, there is an unfortunate lack of a creative look at the less obvious vulnerabilities. How can these be found?

Computer science students worked on solutions in the Privacy Engineering teaching module with the support of their professor and SafeNow employees.

The risks identified in advance and various measures to counter them were discussed. Students presented two concepts for future extensions:

Firstly, to increase the protection against misuse of telephone numbers and secondly, a design for how location data can be used for statistical purposes without encroaching on the privacy of the persons concerned.

-> Final presentation "Protection against misuse of telephone numbers"

-> Final presentation "Position data for statistical purposes"