The use of QR codes has become increasingly common, especially in restaurants.
Cyber threats can occur in different contexts, these are attacks that can damage systems or data, and by extension, the people and organizations associated with them.
There are more common methods such as phishing , a deceptive practice that has been growing as activities revolve more around technology and consists of tricking people into obtaining confidential data, such as passwords and banking information . This cybercrime is committed through fake emails, messages or phone calls. However, with the use of new technologies such as QR codes, cybercriminals have sought new ways to attract their victims.
The use of QR codes has reached every corner of daily life: payments, menus, advertising. However, in parallel, an increasingly sophisticated threat called
quishing (a combination of QR and
phishing ) has caught the attention of cybercriminals in Latin America, especially in Ecuador, Colombia and Panama. These countries have seen a significant increase in reported cases.
Cyber threats can occur in different contexts, these are attacks that can damage systems or data, and by extension, the people and organizations associated with them.
There are more common methods such as phishing , a deceptive practice that has been growing as activities revolve more around technology and consists of tricking people into obtaining confidential data, such as passwords and banking information . This cybercrime is committed through fake emails, messages or phone calls. However, with the use of new technologies such as QR codes, cybercriminals have sought new ways to attract their victims.
The use of QR codes has reached every corner of daily life: payments, menus, advertising. However, in parallel, an increasingly sophisticated threat called quishing (a combination of QR and phishing ) has caught the attention of cybercriminals in Latin America, especially in Ecuador, Colombia and Panama. These countries have seen a significant increase in reported cases.
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Quishing is based on tricking users through malicious QR codes that redirect to fraudulent sites, where cybercriminals can extract sensitive data, such as passwords or financial details. This method is a little more complicated to prevent than phishing , since users cannot preview the link.
Fabio Sánchez, director of Cybersecurity at OCP TECH, explains that this modality has evolved significantly in the last year. “At first, attackers sent simple reauthentication requests via QR codes in emails. Today, however, these codes include complex encryption tricks that make them almost invisible to detection systems,” explains Sánchez.
OCP TECH’s Cybersecurity Director warns that “users tend to blindly trust QR codes due to their ease of use, without considering the risk of impersonation.”
How to protect yourself from quishing
To avoid falling into these traps, Sánchez recommends:
- Don’t blindly trust QR codes : always check the source before scanning. The link appears before you enter.
- Keep your devices updated and use security apps with QR verification tools.
- Disseminate and educate : “We must share information with those around us so that no one falls into this trap,” concludes Sánchez.
