It seems that some people are so desperate to travel that they ae turning to a marketplace where fake COVID-19 tests can be purchased. This is in response to the rules put in place by many national governments (such as passengers due to arrive in U.K. after 4 a.m. on 15 January, 2021). This is another step in the direction of the coronavirus pandemic changing the way the world works.
Commenting on the matter for Digital Journal is the Vice-President of Security at Unisys, Chris Kloes. The cybersecurity specialist has been monitoring this story in some detail.
Kloes explains that: “As these recent examples show, cyber criminals and others are willing to pay a premium for falsified test results as a way to resume things like travel, even if it means putting others at risk. For this reason, organizations must incorporate security measures into their testing protocols.”
As an example, Kloes cites: “Biometric authentication and identity verification can play a critical role in ensuring that the person associated with each test is who they claim to be, without the possibility of impersonation.”
As a workable solution, Kloes recommends: “With the right system in place, identity verification, combined with a negative test result, can be integrated into different management systems and better allow for proper, authorized access to reduce the risk of impersonation. Despite the increased availability, there is still a significant need to improve the speed and volume of available COVID-19 testing.”
In related news, fraudsters have been sending bogus text messages about a coronavirus vaccine in an attempt to steal bank details (as reported by the BBC).
