Avoid this fake SMS asking you to install Covid-19 vaccine registration app

A fake SMS message is going viral, offering people a link to a fake app to register for the COVID-19 vaccine in India. The intention of this app is to spread malware through SMS messages after being installed in people’s phones instead of registering for Covid-19 Vaccination. The app was initially named COVID-19, however it later received an update and was renamed Vaccine Register. As we know that at present people are facing many problems in registering for the vaccine and getting availability of vaccination slots. Therefore, by luring people to register easily, attackers can be successful in installing this app on a large scale.

Lukas Stefanko, a malware researcher at cybersecurity firm ESET, wrote about an SMS message. Tweeted , which advises people to download the app to register for COVID-19 vaccination. The link of the app is also given in this message. This app is targeting Indian users and according to the researcher, it mimics ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Free Registration’.

The researcher says that the link given in the SMS installs this worm app in the phone. After this, it sends a message with the same link through SMS to all the contacts included in the phone without the user’s knowledge. In this way it is spreading rapidly. This application also obtains unnecessary permissions, through which attackers can access users’ data.

This app was initially being spread under the name COVID-19 and later through updates it was by changing name Vaccine has been registered. Not only this, a light mode has also been created, through which attackers can also target users with low-end mobile devices and increase their reach. Support for dual-SIM connectivity is also found in this app.

Our advice is that you should not fall prey to any such SMS message and make your close ones aware about such scams. Also note that registrations for the COVID-19 vaccine are currently open only on the CoWIN portal as well as Aarogya Setu and Umang app.

There are also some third-party sites through which you can get information about slot availability. The government has also given the option to find your nearest COVID-19 vaccination center using the MyGov Corona helpdesk chatbot.