EU Border Database Plagued by Security Flaws
Jul 10, 2025
Category: Border and Security EU News
Confidential reports have revealed that the European Union’s (EU) massive border security database is plagued by thousands of severe cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
As Europe prepares to connect this sensitive system to a broader internet-linked network, experts warned that the consequences of a breach could be catastrophic for millions of people.
Shaky shield raises alarm
Confidential audits warned that the Schengen Information System II, known as SIS II, has thousands of weaknesses that leave the EU’s borders vulnerable.
The system tracks suspected criminals, terror suspects, and undocumented immigrants. It currently contains more than 93 million records, including personal details and biometric data.
While no breach has yet been confirmed, experts believed that the scale of these flaws could create disaster if exploited.
“A breach would be catastrophic, potentially affecting millions of people,” said Romain Lanneau, a legal researcher at Statewatch, an EU watchdog.
Slow repairs trigger concern
The database is run by French IT giant Sopra Steria under contract with the EU agency eu-LISA. By contract, the company must fix critical vulnerabilities within two months of a patch release.
However some repairs have taken up to five and a half years, documents showed.
Emails from 2022 revealed that the contractor even tried to bill an extra €19,000 to fix problems, despite a monthly budget exceeding €500,000 earmarked for maintenance.
Sopra Steria responded in a statement that its work complied with EU rules and oversight.
Millions unaware they’re in the system
Most Europeans have never heard of SIS II, even though their data might live there. The system holds around 1.7 million personal records, including about 195,000 individuals tagged as threats to national security.
Its alerts store photos, fingerprints, and “return decisions” — legal rulings for deportation. These updates went live in 2023, broadening the system’s reach.
Because many individuals don’t realize their personal data is in SIS II until an officer acts on it, a leak could allow wanted suspects to dodge capture or move freely through Europe.
Next system faces higher stakes
Today, SIS II operates on a closed network. Soon, it will connect to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). That system will automate passport checks for travelers, adding hundreds of millions of people to the database.
Unlike SIS II’s closed environment, EES will run on an internet-facing network.
Experts warn that the move could make hacking easier. Even a minor breach could grant criminals access to a vast pool of personal data, including facial images and fingerprints.
Gaps run deep
Beyond technical bugs, officials point to deeper problems. eu-LISA relies heavily on outside consultants instead of building in-house expertise, leaving critical know-how scattered and fragile.
The European Data Protection Supervisor, the EU’s privacy watchdog, criticized eu-LISA for poor oversight and failing to notify its board about security flaws on time.
It also noted that 69 external employees had access to SIS II despite lacking proper clearance.
Francesca Tassinari, a lawyer and researcher at the University of the Basque Country, described the agency’s struggles as a predictable failure of leadership.
“Unfortunately the agency has not proven sufficient to manage the scale and complexity of the project,” she said.
Patchwork fixes stir frustration
The EU designed SIS II to protect its borders with high-tech tools, including digital fingerprints and facial images. But patchwork repairs leave many wondering whether security comes second to politics.
Emails showed that in one instance, Sopra Steria refused to patch flaws until it received extra payment, even though these fixes fell under its contract’s routine maintenance clause.
eu-LISA, for its part, said that it carries out constant risk assessments and vulnerability scans.
“Any risks identified are assessed, prioritized, and addressed based on their criticality, with appropriate mitigation measures defined and closely monitored,” a spokesperson stated.
Lessons for smart borders
SIS II is the flagship of Europe’s so-called “smart borders” initiative, an effort to automate migration control. But repeated delays, contract fights, and missed deadlines have put the entire vision at risk.
The EES, meant to launch in 2022, has been delayed several times because of technical failures at another French contractor, Atos. Critics argued that these cascading troubles prove the EU’s security projects are simply too big for its current capacity.
Leonardo Quattrucci, a senior fellow at the Center for Future Generations, said Europe needs to rethink how it handles IT. “Procurement should be treated as a strategic function, but it’s currently a compliance process,” he said.
Travelers facing a cloud of doubt
Short-term and long-term visitors to the EU could face disruptions as confidence in border systems erodes.
Vulnerabilities in SIS II, which will soon connect to the internet through the Entry/Exit System and the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), raise fears of data leaks or identity misuse during border checks.
As ETIAS prepares to roll out to screen millions of travelers, a weakened SIS II threatens to undermine trust and may cause delays, stricter scrutiny, or even false positives for tourists and business travelers.
Migrants and a climate of uncertainty
For migrants, particularly those flagged in the system or facing deportation orders, these security flaws could be devastating.
Exposed biometric data and legal records could be exploited, potentially placing individuals in danger if their status or whereabouts are leaked.
Moreover, vulnerable migrants might become scapegoats if authorities overreact to system failures by tightening enforcement or denying legitimate asylum claims.
Shaping the next borderline
This sweeping exposure of critical flaws forces EU states to rethink immigration policy and digital infrastructure.
While eu-LISA and national agencies scramble to patch security gaps, policymakers may push for tougher vetting and higher data-sharing standards, slowing down smart-border ambitions.
The failure to secure SIS II could trigger demands for more in-house technology capacity, shifting away from outsourced projects, and reshaping the EU’s long-term strategy for controlling and monitoring migration.
EU border security at a crossroads
The EU’s flagship border control software, riddled with thousands of vulnerabilities and hampered by years-long delays in patching, stands as a stark warning about the perils of prioritizing digital expansion over cybersecurity.
As SIS II is set to connect to internet-linked systems, the stakes for protecting sensitive data and public safety have never been higher. Whether European leaders act decisively now may determine if tomorrow’s borders are truly secure — or dangerously exposed.