Home » Safeguarding Against Quishing: Strategies for Enhanced Cybersecurity
By Cian Fitzpatrick | 16th April 2024
Quishing and Topsec Cloud Solutions
Since 2022, this strategy and tactic has become even more prevalent.
Phishing emails, where QR codes are used to circumvent standard email protections, are especially rampant right now.
In our own organisation, Topsec Cloud Solutions, has the following statistics to share the week of writing this blog post of Bitdefender QR code detections:
14,423 messages with QR codes.
830 did not have a URL extracted from them. (Most likely because they didn’t have URLS.)
299 messages got a spam verdict.
212 of these were spam based on an image or attachment.
As always, a combination of technology and human awareness is essential for your business to bolster your cybersecurity measures.
QR code phishing exploits human error to access sensitive data or infiltrate networks.
The method takes advantage of the widespread use of smartphones capable of scanning QR codes, targeting a broad audience. The omnipresence of QR codes in daily life, think about products, promotional materials, event tickets and menus, complicates the ability to distinguish between safe and hazardous codes, raising the risk of phishing attacks.
These phishing methods challenge traditional email security by evading detection.
Conventional email defences often miss these threats because QR codes effectively hide the malicious URLs behind them. This loophole increases the likelihood of successful phishing attacks, which could lead to significant data breaches.
Organisations can adopt several strategies to mitigate risks associated with QR code phishing:
Organisations must stay vigilant against QR code phishing tactics that threaten email security.
Topsec Cloud Solutions can help your organisation do this. By employing robust defences and educating employees, businesses can effectively counteract these cyber threats, protect their critical information, and maintain trust with their stakeholders.
Contact us today to discuss your team’s email security needs. We’d be delighted to help you.