QR codes have made a major comeback — from restaurant menus to event check-ins, they offer speed and convenience. But as with any widely adopted technology, cybercriminals are never far behind. One of the latest threats making headlines is QR code phishing, or “quishing”.
Quishing is a type of phishing attack where attackers embed malicious URLs in QR codes. When scanned, these codes can redirect users to fake login pages, malware downloads, or data harvesting sites — all without raising the usual red flags.
These attacks often bypass traditional email filters, because the dangerous link is embedded in an image, not plain text. That’s what makes quishing especially dangerous in corporate environments.
In a recent campaign, employees at several financial firms received emails that appeared to be from internal IT departments, urging them to “re-authenticate their Microsoft accounts.” The twist? The login link came in the form of a QR code, supposedly to allow mobile login. Scanning it led to a near-identical phishing site.
Verify the source – Don’t scan QR codes from unknown or unsolicited emails.
Preview the URL – Many smartphones now allow you to view the link before opening it. Use this feature!
Use endpoint protection – Advanced security tools can now detect suspicious QR code redirections.
Educate your team – Make quishing part of your regular phishing awareness training.
QR codes aren’t inherently dangerous — but like all tools, they can be weaponised. Awareness is the first step in defending against this increasingly common attack vector.
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