Cybersecurity agency Path of Bits has concluded the audit of Worldcoin’s ORB expertise and located that it adheres to stringent privateness protocols, notably in the way it processes and shops personally identifiable info (PII).
The full report was launched on March 13 and revealed that there aren’t any vulnerabilities within the ORB software program and validated most of the claims made by Worldcoin.
The audit was initiated on Aug. 14, 2023, after a number of regulators throughout the globe raised considerations about Worldcoin’s biometric knowledge assortment, with some outright banning its operations.
The audit
Path of Bits’ audit aimed to meticulously study the orb’s software program, notably specializing in its dealing with of personally identifiable info (PII) and the administration of customers’ iris codes.
Through the default opt-out signup circulation, the orb collects no PII apart from the iris code, which is neither written to persistent storage nor leaves the orb. In situations the place customers opt-in, their PII is encrypted on the orb’s SSD in a fashion that even the orb itself can not decrypt — showcasing a strong method to knowledge privateness.
Furthermore, the audit verified that the orb doesn’t extract further delicate knowledge from a consumer’s system, with the one info collected being from a QR code. This ensures a minimal knowledge assortment method, aligning with privateness greatest practices.
Importantly, the iris code, a crucial piece of biometric knowledge, is dealt with securely all through its assortment and transmission course of, successfully mitigating the danger of unauthorized entry or interception.
Suggestions
The audit additionally highlighted areas for enchancment, recommending further hardening of the orb’s software program and {hardware} configurations to bolster safety additional.
In response, Worldcoin has carried out modifications, together with changing a susceptible library used for QR code scanning with a safer various.
The Path of Bits audit represents only one a part of Worldcoin’s ongoing efforts to make sure the safety and privateness of its expertise. With the ORB expertise being central to the Worldcoin challenge’s mission to supply a common fundamental revenue, these rigorous safety assessments are essential for sustaining consumer belief and challenge integrity.
Recognizing the significance of transparency and neighborhood engagement, Worldcoin has invited public participation in its bug bounty program and plans to share future audit reviews as they develop into accessible.
