harrycane287
Newbie
Quishing" is a clever (and frustrating) portmanteau of QR code and phishing.
While standard phishing usually arrives via a sketchy link in an email or text, quishing hides that malicious link inside a QR code. It’s essentially a digital bait-and-switch that exploits our habit of scanning codes for menus, parking meters, and "secure" logins.
How Quishing Works
The goal is to get you to move from a secure device (like a laptop with robust antivirus) to your mobile device, which often has fewer security layers.
The Bait: You receive an email claiming your account is locked, or you see a flyer for a "10% discount" at a café.
The Hook: Instead of a button, there’s a QR code. The attacker might say, "Scan this to verify your identity" or "Scan to pay."
The Switch: The code takes you to a spoofed website that looks identical to a bank, Microsoft 365, or a shipping service.
The Catch: Once you enter your credentials or payment info, the attacker captures them instantly.
Why It’s Effective
Invisible to Filters: Many email security filters scan for "bad" URLs in text but struggle to "read" and analyze links embedded inside images like QR codes.
The "Physical" Trust Factor: People are often less suspicious of a physical sticker on a parking meter or a printed letter than they are of a random link.
Urgency & Friction: Scanning a code feels fast. In that rush, users are less likely to check if the URL in their mobile browser looks slightly "off" (e.g., micros0ft-login.com instead of microsoft.com).
How to Protect Yourself
The Golden Rule: Never scan a QR code to perform a sensitive action (like logging into your bank) unless you initiated the transaction yourself.
Preview the URL: Most modern smartphone cameras show a preview of the link before you click it. If it looks like a string of gibberish or doesn't match the brand it claims to be, don't tap.
Check for Physical Tampering: If you're at a restaurant or a public kiosk, check if the QR code is a sticker slapped over the original one.
Use MFA: Even if you accidentally give away your password, Multi-Factor Authentication (like an authenticator app) can act as a final barrier.
While standard phishing usually arrives via a sketchy link in an email or text, quishing hides that malicious link inside a QR code. It’s essentially a digital bait-and-switch that exploits our habit of scanning codes for menus, parking meters, and "secure" logins.
How Quishing Works
The goal is to get you to move from a secure device (like a laptop with robust antivirus) to your mobile device, which often has fewer security layers.
The Bait: You receive an email claiming your account is locked, or you see a flyer for a "10% discount" at a café.
The Hook: Instead of a button, there’s a QR code. The attacker might say, "Scan this to verify your identity" or "Scan to pay."
The Switch: The code takes you to a spoofed website that looks identical to a bank, Microsoft 365, or a shipping service.
The Catch: Once you enter your credentials or payment info, the attacker captures them instantly.
Why It’s Effective
Invisible to Filters: Many email security filters scan for "bad" URLs in text but struggle to "read" and analyze links embedded inside images like QR codes.
The "Physical" Trust Factor: People are often less suspicious of a physical sticker on a parking meter or a printed letter than they are of a random link.
Urgency & Friction: Scanning a code feels fast. In that rush, users are less likely to check if the URL in their mobile browser looks slightly "off" (e.g., micros0ft-login.com instead of microsoft.com).
How to Protect Yourself
The Golden Rule: Never scan a QR code to perform a sensitive action (like logging into your bank) unless you initiated the transaction yourself.
Preview the URL: Most modern smartphone cameras show a preview of the link before you click it. If it looks like a string of gibberish or doesn't match the brand it claims to be, don't tap.
Check for Physical Tampering: If you're at a restaurant or a public kiosk, check if the QR code is a sticker slapped over the original one.
Use MFA: Even if you accidentally give away your password, Multi-Factor Authentication (like an authenticator app) can act as a final barrier.