Detecting and Protecting Against Quishing Attacks

The widespread adoption of QR codes across personal and professional environments has introduced remarkable convenience and efficiency. However, this rapid expansion has also paved the way for a new and sophisticated phishing threat—quishing (QR code phishing). According to Keepnet’s research on Quishing statistics, 26% of all malicious links were embedded in phishing QR codes.

So, understanding and addressing quishing attacks is more important than ever. This blog delves into the techniques and technologies for detecting and mitigating these sophisticated threats, ensuring a secure environment for your workforce

What Is Quishing?

Quishing definition refers to a phishing tactic that uses QR codes to trick users into visiting malicious websites. These codes may appear in emails, flyers, or other seemingly legitimate communication channels. Unlike traditional phishing methods that rely on hyperlinks, quishing conceals malicious URLs within QR codes, making it more difficult for standard security solutions to detect.

According to a 2023 Barracuda report, approximately 1 in 20 mailboxes were targeted with malicious QR codes in the last quarter alone. With many employees accessing emails on their smartphones, the risks associated with quishing are amplified.

How Quishing Works

Quishing attacks often follow these steps:

1. Delivery: Attackers embed a malicious URL in a QR code and deliver it via email or digital communication.
2. Deception: Users scan the code with their devices, believing it’s from a trusted source.
3. Redirection: Scanned codes redirect users to phishing sites that mimic legitimate login pages.
4. Data Theft: Users unknowingly enter credentials or sensitive information, which attackers harvest for exploitation.

In advanced cases, QR codes are designed to bypass security filters by embedding initially harmless URLs that redirect to malicious sites post-delivery.

Types of QR Phishing

Below are the main types of QR phishing, each with real-life examples to illustrate their impact.

1. QR Phishing in Email or Webpage

This type of phishing leverages digital platforms such as emails or websites. Attackers embed malicious QR codes in emails or webpages, tricking users into scanning the codes and visiting phishing sites or downloading malware.

Examples:

Email-based QR Phishing: In one case from 2023, emails targeted employees in the financial sector, presenting a QR code under the guise of an invoice. Scanning it redirected victims to a fake payment portal, collecting sensitive financial details​.

Webpage-based QR Phishing: Another instance involved fake e-commerce websites displaying QR codes to “track your order.” Scanning the code led victims to credential-stealing pages​.

For detailed statistics and insights on QR phishing, visit 2024 QR Code Phishing Trends: In-Depth Analysis of RisingQuishing Statistics.

2. Printable QR Phishing

This technique uses physical media, such as posters or stickers, to distribute malicious QR codes. Attackers strategically place these codes in high-traffic areas or on public materials to entice users into scanning them.

Examples:

• Poster-based QR Phishing: In Istanbul in 2023, fake parking fee posters were displayed with QR codes claiming to process payments. Users were directed to scam sites where their payment details were stolen​.
• Lift-based QR Phishing: In the UK, scammers placed QR code stickers in elevators of office buildings advertising free coffee vouchers. Scanning the codes resulted in the installation of malware on victims' phones​.

These cases highlight the evolving nature of QR phishing, exploiting both digital and physical channels to compromise security. Staying vigilant and verifying QR code sources is crucial to mitigating risks.

Detecting QR Phishing Threats

Recent research by Barracuda revealed that nearly 1 in 20 email accounts were targeted with malicious QR codes in the last quarter of 2023. As employees frequently access work-related emails on their mobile devices, successful quishing attempts can expose corporate credentials, granting unauthorized access to critical business data.

Unlike traditional phishing links, QR codes are often embedded directly into the email’s content, not as attachments or hyperlinks. This makes it challenging for conventional anti-phishing tools and file-based scanning solutions to detect malicious URLs hidden within QR codes. However, advanced AI-powered technologies such as image recognition and computer vision offer a solution. These tools analyze intricate details, such as the structure of URLs, webpage dimensions, login prompts, and background elements, to detect fraudulent websites. Additionally, techniques like URL scanning and rewriting further enhance the identification of fake, machine-generated web pages embedded in emails, preventing user exploitation.

Sometimes, attackers use benign URLs in QR codes to evade detection during initial scans. After the email is delivered, these links are modified to redirect users to harmful sites. To address this tactic, solutions offering click-time protection, URL rewriting/blocking, and clawback functionality are crucial. These features remove potentially harmful emails from inboxes even after delivery, ensuring end-user safety and minimizing risks.

Challenges Detecting QR Code Phishing

Detecting QR code phishing—commonly referred to as quishing—poses unique challenges for security teams. QR code phishing attacks often bypass traditional email security measures, making it harder for organizations to detect and mitigate potential threats. These challenges arise from the inherent nature of QR codes and the increasingly sophisticated tactics used by attackers. Below is a detailed breakdown of key areas that make identifying malicious QR codes particularly complex:

1. Opacity of QR Code Data

QR codes encode information in a format that cannot be understood by humans without scanning. This obscurity allows attackers to hide malicious URLs or other harmful payloads within the code, making it challenging for users or automated systems to identify threats before scanning.

2. Evasion of Security Measures

Traditional email filters and security systems often focus on identifying malicious links or attachments. QR codes, when embedded as images (e.g., Base64) or included within documents, can evade detection by bypassing these standard safeguards.

3. User Trust and Behavior

Users are accustomed to scanning QR codes in everyday life, often without verifying the source. This blind trust increases the likelihood of falling victim to phishing attacks.

4. Detection Challenges in Emails and Attachments

Identifying QR codes within emails involves several specific hurdles:

• Waiting for QR code images in HTML emails to load: Email clients may delay the display of images, complicating real-time detection.
• Differentiating QR code images from other images: Security systems must distinguish between ordinary images and those containing QR codes.
• Confirming that QR code images redirect to URLs: It can be challenging to verify if a QR code leads to a legitimate or malicious URL.

5. Complexity in Document Analysis

Attackers often embed QR codes in various document formats to evade detection:

• Extracting QR codes from PDFs and Word files: This involves scanning and analyzing attached documents to identify and evaluate QR codes.
• Handling multiple QR codes in a single document: Some documents contain multiple QR codes, requiring advanced tools to identify and analyze each code efficiently.

6. Dynamic and Advanced Evasion Tactics

Sophisticated attackers employ tactics such as:

• Dynamic QR codes: Codes that change destinations after being scanned, making detection more complex.
• Embedding codes in non-standard formats: For example, SVG images or visually complex backgrounds, which standard detection systems may not recognize.

7. Challenges on Mobile Devices

Most users scan QR codes with personal mobile devices. These devices often lack robust security measures, making it harder for organizations to monitor or prevent threats arising from QR code phishing.

8. Scalability of Detection

Analyzing large volumes of QR codes or detecting multiple codes within a single image for faster threat identification requires scalable and efficient detection tools.

To mitigate these challenges, organizations must adopt a combination of advanced security tools capable of analyzing QR codes across multiple formats and extensive user education to encourage cautious behavior when scanning codes. A proactive and layered defense strategy is essential for combating the evolving threat of QR code phishing.

Secure Your Organisation Against QR Code Phishing with Free QR Phishing Analysis Service

Keepnet’s vision is to revolutionize how businesses secure their human layer against social engineering threats. Our comprehensive analysis service aids in QR code phishing prevention by helping organizations identify and mitigate potential threats before they escalate:

1. Visit Keepnet’s Free Phishing Email Analysis Service.
2. Upload suspicious QR phishing emails in .msg or .eml format.
3. Receive a detailed QR phishing analysis report.
4. Share the report with your SOC or executive team.

This service leverages 20+ threat analysis engines, AI capabilities, and advanced QR code phishing analysis.

Use Adaptive Security Awareness Training for QR Phishing Protection

According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 68% of breaches include the human element, involving errors, privilege misuse, or social engineering. Attackers exploit stolen credentials, phishing, and vulnerabilities. Impersonation scams reported in the U.S. last year exceeded 490,000 cases, with losses surpassing $1.1 billion.

While eradicating human error entirely is impossible, adaptive security awareness training can significantly mitigate these risks by:

Implement Secure Behavior and Culture Program (SBCP)

Building a strong security culture goes beyond traditional awareness training. Organizations must foster an environment where secure behaviors become second nature. Implementing a Secure Behavior and Culture Program (SBCP) helps embed security practices at all levels, ensuring that employees are not just informed but actively engaged in safeguarding the organization.

Keepnet’s AI-powered phishing simulator offers a comprehensive approach to SBCP by providing a variety of simulated attack vectors, including:

• SMS Phishing: Educate employees on the risks of fraudulent text messages.
• Voice Phishing (Vishing): Train staff to recognize and respond to deceptive phone calls.
• MFA Phishing: Assess how employees handle fake multi-factor authentication requests.
• QR Phishing (Quishing): Enhance awareness of malicious QR codes.
• Callback Phishing: Test employees' response to callback scams.

By utilizing Keepnet’s outcome-driven metrics, organizations can evaluate the effectiveness of their security culture initiatives, track improvements, and demonstrate compliance with industry standards.

With a well-structured SBCP, companies can proactively reduce human risk, foster a security-first mindset, and create a resilient workforce ready to tackle evolving cyber threats.

Incentivize/Reward Secure User Behavior

Introduce interactive sessions like security awareness quizzes and reward programs to motivate end users to report threats such as phishing emails. Keepnet’s Gamification Dashboard gamifies these activities, offering an intuitive way to engage employees while tracking participation and progress effectively.

Curate Tailored Training Using Roles and Risk Profiles

Email security relies on user practices. Keepnet’s Human Risk Management Platform profiles users' risk scores, allowing tailored training based on scores and roles. Embed real-time nudges (e.g., warning banners, reported phishing email analysis, and response) to alert users to suspicious elements and provide direct access to relevant training modules.

Given the threat landscape, include QR code security awareness training. Train employees to scan QR codes only from trusted sources and manually type URLs into browsers instead of clicking embedded links. Leverage Keepnet’s analytics to track engagement and identify knowledge gaps.

Run Phishing Simulation Campaigns

Regularly test employees’ responses to phishing simulations to identify vulnerabilities and improve security awareness. Keepnet’s AI-powered phishing simulation tool allows organizations to design and deploy targeted simulation campaigns and measure the effectiveness of their training programs. Conducting QR code phishing simulation exercises can help organizations identify vulnerabilities and improve their response strategies against evolving threats. Focus on fostering a culture of learning and continual improvement rather than comparing failure rates with peers.

Perform Incident Response (IR) Drills

Ensure that SOC teams and other relevant personnel understand their roles and responsibilities in mitigating threats through regular incident response drills. With Keepnet’s Incident Responder, organizations can analyze phishing threats 48x faster, including QR phishing, and respond 168x faster compared to modern SOC team operations. Drills should cover a variety of threats, including phishing, ransomware, and data breaches, to ensure comprehensive preparedness.