Fake vaccination cards and Covid-19 vaccines are being sold on the dark web, a report released on Tuesday said.
Security researchers at cybersecurity firm Check Point Software said they discovered dark web listings for Covid-19 vaccines from various pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, priced at up to $1,000 per dose, as well as at least 20 vaccine certificates costing $200 each.
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The dark web is a part of the internet that is not detected by search engines, where cybercriminals often sell and buy illegal material, from credit card numbers and drugs to cyberweapons and now COVID-19-related products.
A Check Point spokesperson told CNN Business that it is uncertain whether the vaccines are real, but said they “appear to be legitimate” from packaging photos and medical certificates. Advertisements for vaccines on the dark web have increased by 300% in the past three months, the report said.
Meanwhile, vaccination certificates are created and printed on demand. The buyer provides the name and dates they want on the certificate, and the seller responds with what Check Point said looks like an authentic card.
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Counterfeit products are marketed to people who need to board planes, cross borders, start a new job, or other activities that may require someone to prove they have been vaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) logo, including an image of an eagle, appears in the upper right corner of the fake vaccination cards, just like on the real ones.
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Some experts say illegal markets around vaccination cards and digital passports are inevitable. “Not everyone has access to the vaccine. Distributions are slow in many countries and people are tired of the lockdowns,” said Michela Menting, who covers cybersecurity for ABI Research. “If people can easily get a fake passport to avoid restrictions, then they will.”.
The news comes as government agencies warn people to stop posting images of their vaccination cards on social media to avoid potential identity theft or becoming a target for phishing.
Source of information: edition.cnn.com
