🔗 Share this article US and UK Caution of Major Digital Visa Security Compromise in Federal Republic of Somalia Villa Somalia Roughly 35,000 people might be compromised, warns the US embassy A significant information leak in the Federal Republic of Somalia's electronic visa system potentially disclosed personal information pertaining to numerous thousands of applicants, including US citizens, the United States diplomatic mission in Somalia has alerted. The embassy reported obtained reliable information that "unknown cyber attackers" had penetrated the Federal Government of Somalia's digital visa application portal, likely endangering details concerning at least 35,000 applicants. The compromised files distributed through digital channels comprise personal identifiers, images, birth dates, marriage information, home addresses and email contacts, as stated in a American diplomatic communication released on last Thursday. "This data breach is ongoing and could expose all private information provided to the system," United Kingdom officials has additionally cautioned travellers. "Evaluate the dangers when considering application for an electronic visa mandatory for entry into the Federal Republic." Government Response Federal administration representatives have not issued statements on the breach. But the government has shifted visa application system away from the original e-visa website toward the updated platform, without issuing a formal statement. "Although American diplomatic mission in Somalia lacks the capacity to validate if personal information belongs to the security incident, travelers who have requested visas via the digital application platform may be affected," the official communication said. Regional Implications Somalia's new system requires all travellers, comprising individuals from the independently governed area of Somaliland and the partially independent area of the autonomous state, to apply for travel visas online. Commentators state applicants have experienced extra fees in particular territories, amounting to repeated fees. Geopolitical Background The self-declared republic, which declared independence in 1991, governs itself via separate governmental bodies but has not been internationally recognised. Somalia maintains that this territory remains part of its jurisdictional area. The claimed security incident contributes to persistent conflicts concerning Mogadishu and Hargeisa concerning jurisdiction of national air territory. Even though federal authorities restored total jurisdiction of territorial skies in the past decade, northern authorities continues to contest this agreement. Recent Escalation The dispute escalated further this week as Somaliland's President Abdirahman Irro said Somaliland would refuse Somalia's e-visa and instructed that carriers must obtain permission from northern authorities before entering the region's aviation space. However leading carriers have refused to board passengers absent federal visa authorization. Recently, the northern region's top diplomat Abdirahman Dahir Aadan reaffirmed that "anyone travelling to Somaliland can acquire travel authorization at the point of entry", declaring the federal electronic visa platform was not safe and warning that "people's data might be obtained by radical elements" due to using it. Passenger Complications The impasse has caused some travellers destined for Somaliland stranded at airports following refusal of entry due to absence of the federal electronic visa. Hargeisa's air transport representative, the transport official, has stated to media outlets that the instructions - first announced previously - were implemented on 10 November. Officials declared companies that ignore will be told to divert, and claimed several aircraft had been forced to change paths. Airspace Control Conflict Video evidence distributed by Hargeisa's civil aviation authority seems to demonstrate territorial flight directors giving directions to foreign aircraft commanders - an action hailed internally as a confirmation of northern self-governance. Nevertheless the federal aviation regulator asserts it retains complete jurisdictional power concerning the national airspace information zone (aviation control zone), that includes the whole nation's airspace. Officials have directed each flight to pay no attention to any instructions coming from entities except Mogadishu. Officials cautioned that failing to comply with federal and global flight regulations could pose security threats and cause "significant legal repercussions".