COVID vaccination passports have proved extremely divisive during the coronavirus pandemic, due to issues relating to civil liberties or their potential to discriminate against the more vaccine-hesitant groups within society.
But as many governments around the world push forward with their implementation in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19, the security of our data has become a major cause for concern.
Many COVID passes work by producing a QR code or 2D barcode for each user that can be scanned as proof of vaccination. The barcodes used in some of these passports are not that secure because they are not generated with encrypted data. However, they could be made secure if national governments, international organizations and global tech companies work together to make the most of the exciting possibilities this technology presents.