Most of us think that scanning a QR code is harmless and a quick way to get the information you are looking for or are curious about. But unfortunately this is not always the case and these convenient little QR codes may not be as harmless as you think.
Most people think they are just bypassing typing in the website or link but QR codes can actually do quite a lot more than just bring you to a website. In fact, these codes can initiate a number of processes.
For instance, and most importantly, they can open a webpage that runs a script/process in the background that downloads and executes a file on your device. These files can be anything including spyware or malware. And usually if a QR code is hiding this type of process, it’s of a malicious nature.
The affect the QR code would have on your device would depend on the make of the device, the OS you are running and the level of security you have on that device. So the more updated and protected you are, the better chance you have of detecting or avoiding a device infection.
This method is commonly used by Government agencies to push spyware onto devices. In certain cases, our experts have witnessed Government agencies leaving well placed mysterious QR codes around cities to get certain types of spyware and monitoring capabilities onto peoples phones.
So just like with any link you are sent, think before you scan that QR code. Is it from a reliable source?