Ontario should prevent the 'hack' that hit Quebec's vaccine passport app, expert warns
Ontario’s vaccine passport app should learn from an episode in Quebec where some people created their own QR codes and spoofed the identity of several Quebec politicians, says a Toronto cybersecurity expert.
Quebec’s government has complained to police about so-called hackers who were able to appear to obtain the QR codes of Quebec leaders -- including Premier Francois Legault -- something that should be avoided here, says Claudiu Popa.
“I like QR codes as much as anybody else. You can flash them and scan them on the fly. But they should be only used to transfer and communicate secure information and the best way to protect confidentiality is to use encryption,” he said.
Quebec has defended its system, saying the alleged breach exploited a small vulnerability that is being fixed.
“It’s a really precise loophole that is being corrected right away,” Eric Caire, Quebec’s minister for government digital transformation, told CTV Montreal last week.
“We will think about it if it’s a good idea to put more obstacles in the system, more constraints,” he said.
QR codes are short for “quick response” codes and are often used to store a string of characters such as a website or some names and dates in a speedy, machine-readable format.
In Quebec, the QR codes contain a person’s name, date of birth, and information about the vaccinations they have received.
Those codes are a central feature of the Quebec government’s vaccine passport system, which launched on Wednesday.
It appears the so-called hackers were able to obtain publicly available information such as the name and the birthdate, and used whether the politician had already disclosed his or her vaccination status.
Then it appears the person made their own QR code, which could be read by the vaccine passport app.
In Ontario, the vaccine passport will first be a printed or shown vaccine receipt, and an app is scheduled to come in only on October 22.
Ontario’s Associate Minister of Digital Government Kaleed Rasheed told a news conference that the government is aware of the issue in Quebec.
“The provincially designed app is going to be very secure and privacy protected,” he said.
If the QR code displayed by a customer contains an encrypted code which only the QR reader can decode, the app would be more secure, Popa said.
He also advised that people should not flash around their QR codes, and keep them private as they would with a credit card or a drivers’ licence.
“We have so many tools that could scan QR codes from a distance,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.