QR Codes - Friend or Foe?

The use of Quick Response or QR codes have become widespread after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Question is, are our digital identity entirely safe by using QR codes? Here's an article that talks about that.

"Originally developed by the Japanese automotive industry, QR codes are a matrix barcode that can now be used through the camera app on most modern smartphones or a translator app. The code is scanned and interpreted and often redirects the user to the corresponding weblink or in the case of the Covid-19 tracer app, logs activities of the user. QR codes have unlimited lifespans and once generated can be reused indefinitely.?

While these codes offer convenience and can be very effective for their intended activities, the rise in popularity for legitimate purposes has also sparked a rise in interest from malicious actors. There are instances where attackers have been known to paste counterfeit QR codes over the legitimate ones as a way to deploy phishing attacks by redirecting users to fraudulent websites in an effort to harvest credentials. They have also be used to deploy malware using a technique known as a “drive-by download” to gain control of a device, disrupt the normal user experience and services or to exfiltrate data.?"

You can read more on this blog post?here. And share some of your thoughts in the comment below.