{
  "id": 14190224,
  "title": "We found flaws in Gauteng’s panic button app. The province set the cops on us",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/we-found-flaws-in-gautengs-panic-button-app-the-province-set-the-cops",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-13T11:36:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "GroundUp",
    "slug": "groundup",
    "url": "https://groundup.org.za/article/we-found-flaws-in-gautengs-panic-button-app-the-province-set-cops-on-us/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Gauteng Department of e-Government has been accused of mishandling security flaws found in its emergency app, GroundUp reported earlier this month. The province's database behind the app was left unsecured, exposing sensitive user information, including names, contact details, crime reports, and location histories. GroundUp alerted the department and the app developer, Evolve Value Added Services, about the vulnerabilities on September 21. Evolve promptly fixed the issues. However, the department only issued a statement on October 5, contradicting claims that no personal information had been compromised. GroundUp has demanded an explanation for the delay in notifying the Information Regulator, as required by the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The department informed users via SMS on October 5, but it did not disclose the exposed information or the duration of exposure, failing to provide enough information for users to protect themselves, as required by POPIA. The department has not revealed the number of users affected and has not responded to GroundUp's queries. A police case is being opened in connection with the incident.",
  "summary": "The Gauteng Department of e-Government waited two weeks before reporting security flaws to the Information Regulator",
  "key_points": [
    "Gauteng's emergency app had unsecured database exposing user info",
    "Security flaws discovered by GroundUp on September 21",
    "Department notified users via SMS on October 5, but failed to disclose details"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}