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"Sham Cash".. "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" Imposes Financial System for Salaries and Tech Expert Reveals Vulnerabilities
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The application's suspicious permissions, such as access to camera and biometric data, reflect risks to user privacy and information security

The interim government affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria has imposed the "Sham Cash" application on employees for receiving their salaries, amid warnings of security and technical risks that may threaten users' privacy and personal data.
The appointee managing Syria's Central Bank under the interim government formed by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani issued circular No. 15/856/S dated 30/12/2024, requiring all financial and banking institutions operating in Syria to create accounts on the application through the official website shamcash.com, with a two-day deadline to implement the decision.
Information expert Dilshad Othman revealed in a detailed technical analysis on his Facebook page that the application requests concerning permissions, including access to phone camera, users' biometric data, and background operation. It can also detect active applications on the phone, raising concerns about potential surveillance use.
The technical expert explained that the application file is 43.91 MB with a specific digital signature and uses Flutter technology in the user interface, noting that the application prevents the phone from entering sleep mode, meaning it continues working in the background even when not in use.
Othman pointed out that the application is connected to servers in Turkey's Hatay province through a specific IP address and uses Google's Firebase service to communicate with the company's server, warning of a security vulnerability in port 1433 for Microsoft SQL Server.
The mystery surrounding the application's ownership and management raised numerous questions, as the domain was registered in July 2023 with hidden registrant identity, and the website contains no information about the owning company or its address, limiting communication to Telegram platform and European phone numbers.
The application requires several permissions from users including: system notifications, camera use, fingerprints and biometrics, internet connection, network status access, and prevention of sleep mode.
The technical expert advised users not to install the application if they don't trust the Salvation Government's financial institutions, emphasizing that the main problem isn't technical but relates to attempts to impose certain institutions on citizens.
These developments come about a month after the "Military Operations Administration" led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani took control of Damascus on December 8, 2024, and the flee of former Syrian regime head Bashar al-Assad, at a time when voices calling for implementing a federal system that ensures financial transparency and protects citizens' privacy and digital rights are rising.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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