Skulls, crossbones and QR codes

From the second man to the second-story man, QR codes have moved from being a thing of convenience to a sneaky window for cybercriminals to tap

- PRATIMA HARIGUNANI

From the days when black pepper was transported through the sea to the nano-seconds when money moves in the form of bits and bytes via fibre optics- one person has continued to haunt merchants in ever-evolving ways. The pirate. The way they look may have changed but pirates still shadow every penny they can rob or steal.

F It was just a matter of time till they came for QR codes. The upper storey that we built after bar codes, and cemented during the pandemic for faster and contactless commerce, has now caught the patched eyes of these burglars. It is the storey that was meant for speed, convenience and easy access. It is, now, the storey that is being used by burglars to sneak into the building we carry in our pockets. Our devices. And data.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

Quishing is now as common and as dangerous as phishing or vishing. Yes, QR Code threats are on the rise. They come in the form of masquerades that lead the user to malicious sites or download malware on the device. The result can range from pennies slipped out to pounds cut away from one's pocket, from the user being subscribed to a marketing list and newsletter without consent to stealing sensitive information from devices or spying through the device. The most serious blow is, of course, the theft of the credit card or bank information of the user and the downloading of malware on the device. It can also lead to the hijacking of devices for misuse.