GreenID
Overview
The outbreak of the coronavirus has challenged governments worldwide to react quickly and effectively to protect its citizens while taking into account the economic ramifications. Over the past several months, more than four COVID-19 vaccines have been approved by regulatory authorities; with over 249 million doses already distributed and some 54 million people fully vaccinated worldwide.
While this achievement represents great promise, precautions must be taken to open the economy and reduce public-health concerns. An accurate, immutable database containing real-time records of the already vaccinated and immune population is needed to open-up efficiently and safely. GreenID offers exactly that.
GreenID, an Israeli start-up founded in collaboration with Tezos IL, offers a simple & secure solution based on blockchain technology. It allows governments to keep an updated, immutable, and secure record of personal sensitive information that can be accessed when necessary, without releasing personal and sensitive medical data to 3rd parties. For f it’s on-chain governance, formal verification of smart contracts, low gas fees, and it’s proven use cases, this system will be built on top of the Tezos blockchain.
The present solution and its many problems
Israel, with the highest vaccination rate per capita, has begun to issue “Green Passports” to allow society to open up. Using the “Ramzor” App, each individual can access an official government certificate to confirm that they have either received a second dose of the vaccination or have recovered from the virus. Each certificate is accompanied by a unique QR code that may be scanned to verify the individual’s identity and records. But, aside from the slow roll out and technical difficulties, the Ramzor App is far from perfect, to say the least.
First, this static QR code is vulnerable to being counterfeited as anyone with access to Photoshop can forge a QR code and be granted vaccination-only access.
The second issue is that vaccination records (medical data, which qualifies as personal sensitive information) is not encrypted nor fully secured. Additionally, the end-user has little to no control over their personal information or the ability to control who accesses it.
The records are also not up-to-date. Currently, an individual receives an email with their vaccination confirmation immediately upon receiving the second dose, however the immunity authorization is not granted until 7 days after the administration of the second dose. Essentially they get the vaccine confirmation immediately, 7 days early, even though it is not valid for an entire week. Put simply: there are no real-time records.
The Ramzor App does not generate a unified database. There is no single ledger that registers in real time when each vaccination confirmation is issued (or expires), whether it was activated, and by whom.
Most importantly, the present solution does not guarantee safe international travel. GreenID will be able to create a secure & immutable medical record that follows individuals wherever they travel.
It’s crucial for this system to be trusted and easily accessible by other governments worldwide. In one word, it needs to be interoperable.
As Ursula von der Leyen, the EU Commissioner recently stressed, all of these hurdles must be addressed technologically before countries move forward and re-open society. This is the exact problem GreenID is focused on solving.
GreenID: Structure and Solution
An “e-wallet” is created for each individual that stores their unique identifier and COVID-19 related health records. This information is represented in, and accessible through a dynamic, one-off, encrypted QR code. The QR is generated per each individual and is valid for a limited amount of time. This means that the QR code cannot be transferred or forged.
Users can download this “e-wallet” app on their smartphone and confirm their identity on the app using their biometrics or PIN to access their medical records.
This solves the problem of counterfeiting and generates trust and security. It also gives individuals control over their personal information and the ability to access it and present it when need be.
These “e-wallets” are stored on a permissioned, private blockchain (i.e., closed network). As such, access to the servers as well as the ability to add data & access data, is in the hands of the government and entities designated by the government, but transparent for the people. There is certainty that only those with adequate permission can access personal information, while also generating a unified record that can be easily adopted universally.
When using public transportation, entering a theater, or a shopping center, the individual opens the app, has their unique one-off QR code scanned to confirm their records, and the person can then enter the facility safely, knowing all those around them do not jeopardize their health.
Essentially, the use of blockchain builds trust with the public, and securely allows people to feel safe as they use public services.
Using GreenID’s technological solution, the government will have real-time control over COVID-related data and can troubleshoot issues on the spot, reducing potential inconveniences to the public.
The information available to the government, healthcare providers, law enforcement agencies, and individuals (in their wallet) is always updated and identical. This database is interoperable, modular (as it can be expanded upon), and in real-time.
The use of the GreenID technology allows the governments to collect, analyze, and understand data through innovative means in order to better combat the pandemic. This gives the government accurate data of the number of vaccines provided, COVID test results in real time, and serological testing, allowing governments to reach fast, evidence-based decisions in its fight against the pandemic.
Going forward
Effectively, what GreenID has created is a “digital medical record” that travels with the individual anywhere in the world and can be accessed at any time. With this system, the government can update and verify the vaccination records of any individual who has an “e-wallet”, including foriegn tourists arriving in the country. In the future, additional medical records may be added to each “wallet” easily and securely. Harnessing blockchain technology to add ease, reliability, and safety to travel, open the economy and aid healthcare services.
With GreenID we can go back to doing what we love safely and responsibly…
…Avoiding everyone while watching Netflix at home.
