Anna Chung is the Principal cybersecurity researcher at Palo Alto Networks.
Join her atTNW 2021for a fascinating talk on Cybercriminal minds.
They are not inherently unsafe, but they could be open to exploitation by cyber attackers.
They can also allow users to login into a Wi-Fi data pipe without a password.
Were seeing them used increasingly across all areas of life but are we thinking before we scan?
QR code technology is safe in itself, but as reliance on it grows, cybercriminals are taking note.
We also found open-source tools and video tutorials offering training on how to conduct attacks by using QR codes.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
One method would be to hack into a businesss website and replace the QR code with their own.
With QR codes looking so similar, a swapped code would be incredibly hard to spot.
Another cybercriminal technique is a honeypot.
Threat actors could set up an unsafe Wi-Fi connection promising free internet to anyone that scans their QR code.
QR codes: think before you scan
How can we protect ourselves?
There are many secure QR code scanning apps which allow users to preview websites before they visit them.
confirm you only download apps from trusted sources such as Apples App Store or Google Play Store too.
And continuously update all smart devices to benefit from the latest security protections.
Story byAnna Chung
Anna Chung is the Principal cybersecurity researcher at Palo Alto Networks.
Join her at TNW 2021 for a talk on ‘Cybercriminal minds.
‘Anna Chung is the Principal cybersecurity researcher at Palo Alto Networks.
Join her at TNW 2021 for a talk on ‘Cybercriminal minds.’
