THERE are fears Scotland’s vaccine passport scheme could be left open to fraud after it was suggested a key security feature had failed.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf previously said the app had a safeguard in place that meant people were unable to take screenshots of the information displayed in the app.
However, some users had been able to take screenshots while inside the app.
READ MORE: Enforcement of vaccine passport rules begins as trial period ends
Businesses were allowed to “visually” check the QR codes displayed in the app which could mean unvaccinated people with a screenshot may be able to get around the measure.
The LibDems said this meant the app could be "outfoxed by a screenshot".
However, the app does contain a shimmering logo on the top right corner which cannot be replicated by a static image.
And now it has been announced both the app for businesses checking vaccine passport QR codes and the app for consumers are being updated.
The business app has already been updated, which means it will now show a green tick when a person’s details have been correctly scanned.
And from Thursday at noon, a further update to the consumer app, which will present a QR code to venues as opposed to the dates of both vaccinations, will be released.
This change is set to occur after concerns have been raised about the amount of medical data shown to gain entry.
Current versions of the smartphone app will stop working from next week, forcing users to download the update to continue to access events.
“The rollout of the green tick display when QR codes are checked will reduce the amount of information shared and confirm only that a person has a valid certificate for use across Scotland,” Yousaf said.
Many apps, such as some banking software, disable phones from taking screenshotting while in use as a security precaution.
The NHS Scotland Covid Status app is central to the Scottish Government’s vaccine passport scheme and allows Scots to verify to businesses that they have had both jags.
The app has already been hit with technical issues with many users unable to log in when it initially launched earlier this month.
On Monday, enforcement of the passport scheme came into effect after the Scottish Government allowed an 18-day grace period amid technical glitches.
READ MORE: Secondary pupils in Scotland to continue wearing face coverings in class
The policy will now be enforceable for nightclubs, strip clubs and unseated indoor events with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor events with more than 4000 people and any event with more than 10,000 people.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “In his interview the Cabinet Secretary was clearly referring to the Covid Check Verifier App which is used by business to verify a person’s QR code. The ability to take a screenshot has been disabled from android devices.
“Furthermore under the regulations venues they are under a statutory duty to treat information in confidence and not use it for another purpose.
“We recognise that it is possible to take a screenshot of the Covid Status app but the shimmer security features built into the app mean that it should be possible to distinguish between the app and a screenshot.”
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