As counterfeit Covid passports proliferate online, experts are calling for the establishment of a blockchain-based vaccine registry in Australia.
Local experts are pushing for the countrywide launch of a blockchain-based vaccine passport to safeguard the efficacy of the country’s “Covid certificate” system, which has been plagued by the circulation of counterfeit coronavirus vaccination certificates online.
It is claimed by scammers who claim to have sold more than 200 fraudulent COVID-19 certificates for $120 or more apiece and to have garnered interest from at least 900 other prospective clients in an article published by The Australian newspaper.
In their advertisements, the scammers say that their products are so convincing that “You’ll be the only one to know you’ve not been vaccinated” and that they can arrange for doctors to put bogus vaccination records into the Australian Immunization Registry.
Another vendor of bogus Covid certificates claims to have teamed with doctors across Australia, Europe, the United States, and parts of Asia to give false vaccination records to people all around the world, including in the United States and Europe.
Other sellers assert that they can provide more cost-effective ways for circumventing health regulations, such as selling doctored vaccination records for $12.99 each directly from the Apple App Store, which they believe is more cost-effective than other options.
According to Robert Potter of the cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0, Australia must embrace blockchain technology in order to ensure that its Covid certificate system is not jeopardised by hackers. A blockchain-based “non-reproducible signing authority,” he urged both Australian and foreign authorities to adopt.
In his words, “We can come up with a foolproof system that only us can use, but we actually need a global system that everyone can use.” According to the author, “it would be the cryptographic equivalent of a hologram.”
Blockchain is already being used to verify Covid vaccination status in a number of countries throughout the world, with initiatives currently underway in the United States, China, South Korea, and Colombia to further investigate the technology’s use.
IBM, a global technology corporation, has already built a blockchain-powered system that is integrated with Amadeus, an airline reservation system that is used by more than 450 airlines across the globe.
“This would be a really wonderful test case as a globally secured way of sharing health data.” says Blockchain Australia deputy chair Karen Cohen of a blockchain-based Covid certificate that may pave the way for the secure exchange of health data around the world.
Despite this, not everyone in Australia believes that a blockchain-based vaccination system is required, with Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen claiming that the existing Covid certificate application provided by his organisation offers “enhanced anti-fraud features.”
“Any fraudulent creation of a COVID-19 digital certificate does not mean our systems or personal data have been compromised,”, Jongen stated.“Where there are discrepancies […] Services Australia will contact the provider to ensure accuracy of this information, and correct the record if required.”
