QR code qualms: hackers love them to make you click on evil links. First hackers went after consumers, now they are using QR codes to get around business cybersecurity.
QR code scammers
In the last year, QR code scammers have placed their cash draining links on parking kiosks all over Britain. Unsuspecting drivers scan the code thinking their paying for parking and instead hackers empty their bank accounts.
Like everyone else, hackers love how QR codes make it easy to go to a long web site name (aka long URL) without typing it all on. Most phones cut off the complete web link from a QR code.
Increasingly hackers apply this technique to attack businesses.
Business QR Scams
Most business folks know not to click on links in suspicious emails. And most folks know to be careful of links in Messenger, Instagram, Teams. If they do mistakenly click on a bad link, their business antivirus/firewall/browser guards block a lot of the bad links from attacking their computer.
What about your business smartphone? Opening an malicious QR code on your phone could infect the device. Hackers could then gain access to business assets via your infected phone. Remember hackers want access to your business email and your business bank account. Do you have those on your phone?
Best QR Practices
There are some very expensive tools to protect your phones from malicious QR codes.
The cheap solution is to now approach QR codes like you approach web links.
Ask yourself:
- Do I trust this sender? This kiosk?
- Does this person normally send QR codes?
- Is there a dubious urgency to click now?
