Somali’s electronic visa system may have been compromised in a significant data breach, potentially exposing personal details for tens of thousands of applicants, including those from the US, according to the American embassy in Somalia.
The e-visa platform of Somalia’s government reported that it had been compromised by unidentified hackers, who may have accessed information from at least 35,000 individuals.
Online documents leaked in the US include names, photos, birthdays, marital status, home addresses and email details, as stated in a US embassy statement released on Thursday.
The UK has also alerted travellers that this data breach is ongoing and could potentially reveal any personal data you input into the system.
Think carefully about the potential risks before submitting an application for the e-visa necessary for traveling to Somalia.
So far, Somali authorities have remained silent about the incident. The government has moved its visa service from evisa.gov.so to etas.gov.so, without giving a formal reason.
“The US statement mentioned that Embassy Mogadishu cannot verify whether a person’s information has been compromised, but notes that individuals who have applied for an e-visa in Somalia may be impacted.”
The BBC sought a response from the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA).
Somalia’s new system necessitates that all travellers, encompassing those from the self-proclaimed Somaliland republic and Puntland’s semi-autonomous region, must submit online entry visa applications.
Travelers have reportedly incurred additional costs in specific areas, equalling double the standard charges.
Somaliland, which declared self-rule in 1991, operates its own governance system but remains unrecognised by the international community. Somalia asserts that the area in question remains an integral part of its territorial domain.
Tensions between Mogadishu and Hargeisa over control of Somali airspace have been exacerbated by the alleged airspace breach. Somalia regained full control of its airspace in 2017, but Somaliland still disputes the agreement.
This week, tensions rose further after Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Irro stated that Somaliland would reject Somalia’s electronic visa and instructed airlines to secure permission from Hargeisa before entering its airspace.
Major airlines have been denying boarding to passengers without Somalia’s e-visa approval.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aadan reiterated on Saturday that visitors to Somaliland can obtain their visa upon arrival, stating that Somalia’s online visa system is insecure and may put people’s data at risk of being accessed by extremist groups.
The stand-off has left some travellers en route to Somaliland stuck at airports after being refused boarding due to their absence of Somalia’s e-visa.
Somaliland’s Civil Aviation Minister, Fu’aad Ahmed Nuux, informed the BBC that the directives, which were initially announced in the earlier part of this year, became operational on 10 November.
He stated that carriers which fail to comply will be advised to divert, and claimed that several aircraft had already been rerouted.
Footage released by Somaliland’s aviation ministry suggests that local air-traffic controllers are providing instructions to international pilots, a development that is being seen as a demonstration of Somaliland’s independence.
The Somalia Civil Aviation Authority asserts that it maintains sole administrative and legal jurisdiction over the Mogadishu Flight Information Region (FIR), encompassing the entire country’s airspace. The order directs all aircraft to disregard any orders given by parties other than those in Mogadishu.
Failing to comply with Somali and international aviation regulations could lead to serious safety risks and “serious legal consequences”.
