‘We will fix it’: Allan govt admits to Service Victoria app Working With Children Check security flaw

The Allan government has pledged to fix a security flaw in the state’s Working with Children Check (WWCC) system after it was revealed by the Herald Sun.

• We bypassed this govt app to access a WWCC

The Allan government has pledged to fix a security flaw in the state’s Working with Children Check (WWCC) system after it was revealed by the Herald Sun.

Senior minister Mary-Anne Thomas on Thursday conceded that a loophole existed in the government’s technology and would be fixed immediately.

“Being aware of this loophole, we will fix it, and we’ll do that in coming days,” she said.

Senior minister Mary-Anne Thomas has conceded there is a loophole in the Service Victoria app. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The Herald Sun on Thursday revealed the Service Victoria app could easily be fooled by dummy QR codes due to a flaw in the app technology.

The in-app reader should only be able to scan QR codes generated by the app to ensure only those who had verified their identity could access their WWCC.

But in just 30 seconds, the Herald Sun was able to trick the app with a QR code of its own and gain access to someone’s WWCC.

In theory, a predator willing to impersonate another person could quickly gather validation to prove they can work with children.

The Herald Sun was able to fool the Service Victoria app and pull up the details of a valid Working With Children's Card holder. Picture: Grace Frost

Ms Thomas’ recognition of the security loophole came a day after the Allan government claimed the app had not been compromised and was working as usual.

She warned using the loophole to trick employers was an offence.

“In order for a working with children’s check to be processed, that working with children’s check must match with the person’s identity, and any attempt to use another person’s card or to defraud the system in any way, is actually an offence that is punishable by up to two years in jail,” she said.

The full details on uncovering the Service Victoria security loophole can be found here.

Meanwhile there continues to be calls for the Working with Children Check requirements to be expanded to adults who are employed alongside children in roles across fast food, retail and warehouses.

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) is urging for greater protections to be put in place to safeguard children working in these sectors.

SDA national vice president, Bernie Smith, said more than half a million children are working in Australia with very little protection from physical and sexual harassment they may face at the hands of adults who work alongside them.

“Young workers are vulnerable and need better, nationally consistent protections to keep them safe at work,” he said.

“Most people would be surprised to learn that adults can work with children without a working with children check.

“We need more than a nationwide conversation - we need action on the sexual safety of children working alongside adults.”

The SDA’s demands included mandatory WWCC for adults who work alongside children, an update to the definition of child-related employment to include working with children who are workers, a nationally consistent sex offenders register and bail law reform to prevent those on bail for child-related offences from working alongside children until the matter is dealt with.

It comes as the most recent Australian Human Rights Commission survey found in the past five years 47 per cent of workers aged between 15 and 17 had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.

“We all have an obligation to act to keep children safe at work from predators. A young person’s first experience of work should always be a safe one,” Mr Smith said.

“We need urgent, consistent and national action to reform our working with children system.”

Originally published as ‘We will fix it’: Allan govt admits to Service Victoria app Working With Children Check security flaw