Cyber company deploys 50m digital health passports

British cyber tech company VST Enterprises (VSTE) has signed a deal with digital health technology company Circle Pass Enterprises (CPE) to integrate its cybersecurity technology into a secure digital health passport — COVI-PASS.

VSTE’s VCode and VPlatform cybersecurity technologies will be paired with approved SARS-CoV-2 testing kits to provide an authenticated gateway for public services, businesses and employees to manage a safe return to work, life and safe travel.

COVI-PASS uses colour mapping (green, amber, red) to authenticate and validate a COVID-19 test, providing test history and relevant health information, allowing for accurate data metrics at specific times and locations.

The cybersecurity technology developed by VSTE can be used by various sectors including critical-care workers, doctors, nurses and health and emergency services workers.

How it works

• The user downloads the app to their smartphone device and inputs their key information such as name, address and age, and verifies their identity using a biometric fingerprint or facial scan.
• The user is administered a SARS-CoV-2 test by an authorised healthcare professional, nurse or doctor. The test is geofenced to that location and the test results are then scanned from the testing kit into the COVI-PASS health passport.
• A traffic light system confirms the user’s health status as either red or green: red for positive and green for negative. An amber colour indicates a countdown timer to when another test is due and required.
• The user can then show the COVI-PASS health passport to authenticate their health status. The health passport can be scanned outside the safe distancing zone of 2–3 m (and beyond), while the person is moving and at various angles to ensure continued social distancing guidelines. A VCode can be scanned from a distance of over 100 metres and provides military-grade encryption with over 2.2 quintillion combination codes.

In the first phase, CPE will ship orders of 50 million COVI-PASS digital health passports to the private sector and governments in over 15 countries, including Italy, Portugal, France, Panama, India, the US, Canada, Sweden, Spain, South Africa, Mexico, United Arab Emirates and The Netherlands.

VST Enterprises is committed to working closely with governments and major stakeholders to deploy a safe and trusted technology solution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commenting on the deal, VST Enterprises CEO Louis-James Davis said, “We are delighted to be working with CPE to supply our VCode and VPlatform technology and digital health passport to create COVI-PASS.

“It is also very encouraging that so many governments and enterprises across the world are engaging and using the COVI-PASS health passport and approved testing kits.

“We firmly believe that the digital health passport alongside government-approved testing kits is the key to removing the lockdown restrictions in a gradual and controlled way. The current technology being trialled using Bluetooth and proximity apps is fundamentally flawed because of its privacy issues of real-time tracking, the security and data breaches which we are already seeing and being reported and the reticence for citizens to uptake and download the tracing app.”

The Manchester-based company is also in advanced discussions with senior UK Government officials, NHSX — the technology arm of the NHS — and the Home Office about its cybersecurity technology.

CPE COO and Co Founder Adam Palmer said, “We are delighted to be working with Louis-James Davis and VST Enterprises to utilise the groundbreaking cybersecurity technology of VCode and VPlatform to create COVI-PASS and to help tackle this global pandemic.

“One of the many unique features of the VCode cybersecurity is that the VCode technology can be scanned from up to 100 metres, ensuring its social distancing compliance is robust and making it the only choice for a safe and secure digital health passport.

“We are seeing unprecedented levels of interest from governments, businesses and major sporting organisations for the COVI-PASS solution,” he said.

“Due to the secure patented technology of the VCode and VPlatform — its ease of use and rapid implementation globally across all sectors — it is clear that COVI-PASS is the only viable solution for a safe return to work, life and travel protocols. Unlike Bluetooth, QR or similar proximity apps, COVI-PASS using the VCode and VPlatform cybersecurity tech does not violate privacy issues of the user.”

VCode and VPlatform in demand

VSTE is providing its VCode and VPlatform technology to the United Nations as part of its SDG Collaboratory (Sustainable Development Goals) program. As part of this venture, VSTE will provide a wide range of technology services to 9 billion people by 2030.

VSTE partner, the sports marketing agency Redstrike, is in advanced discussions with major global sporting organisations and regulatory bodies in F1, motorsport, football, rugby, athletics, cycling, golf, tennis and basketball to use VCode technology to help kickstart the global sports economy.

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