Many countries have a national emergency alert system, delivered to their citizens via suitable mobile phones – now there is a UK Emergency Alert System. These systems can be operated by region and issue emergency alerts for serious weather events, earthquakes etc.. Although false alarms happen the rapid warning of the public of a disaster level event out weighs these mistakes, as long as they are equally rapidly corrected.
What does the UK Emergency Alert System look like?
The UK Government ran a test of the system yesterday – scheduled for 15.00 but actually ran a minute early, as you can see from the image above. This is how it looked on an iPhone.
UK Emergency Alert System – what about my privacy?
Misuse of the system by government agencies or threat actors is something to be considered. Stergios Aidinlis from Keele University has an article on The Conversation looking at some of the privacy questions raised by the government having a technology to reach everyone’s mobile device.
The article does highlight that some people have secret phones that they rely on for their safety, such as those owned by partners in possible abusive relationships. Such devices should be opted out of the broadcast alerts. But for the rest of us – leave them on. We will have to rely on the UK Government (whatever party is in power) to be trusted with a system with such reach and protect it from threat actors both inside and outside.
Indeed, privacy is not a luxury or a privilege. It is a fundamental human right that deserves respect and protection. This is why robust oversight of emergency alert systems is required to ensure they are not abused by governments.
Stergios Aidinlis
It is a trust they cannot break.
Your takeaway from this…
Good cyber security starts with good privacy.
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
Further Reading
Hawaii missile alert: False alarm sparks panic in US state – BBC News
Smart Thinking Solutions supports this UK Government initiative:
Let’s stop abuse together – Stop Abuse Together (campaign.gov.uk)
