Fake COVID-19 Vaccine SMS Compromising Android Phones Spreading: CERT-In

"It has been reported that a fake SMS message is in circulation that falsely claims to offer an app to let users register for COVID-19 vaccine in India," the federal cyber security agency said.

A fake COVID-19 vaccine registration SMS that "maliciously" gains entry into a users' Android phone leading to compromise of individual contact list is in circulation, the federal cyber security agency has alerted. The harmful SMS has been identified by at least five variants. "It has been reported that a fake SMS message is in circulation that falsely claims to offer an app to let users register for COVID-19 vaccine in India." "The SMS carries a link that installs the malicious app on Android-based devices, which essentially spreads itself via SMS to victims' contacts," the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team or CERT-In said in a public advisory issued on Saturday.