Bitcoin Forum

So I know lot of places have you scan a QR code to visit a site and things like that.  I believe they do that with restaurants as well or not?


Now when you scan a QR code with your phone, is it possible to get malware on your iphone just from scanning it?  I am not that familiar with QR codes but I believe once you bring your camera to it, it automatically goes to that website without you clicking take a picture or not?


If you have a crypto wallet on your phone, can you get malware this way?  Now if it's a popular store or place, then chances are almost none?  But could a hacker change that QR code to malware somehow even if it directs you to the correct site?

I think what you think is possible I can generate a QR code with different links but redirect them to different sites.

Sample you made a site and adding HTML redirect to the site of your choice under headings and then generate the QR code of your site that you can share with anyone if someone scans the QR code they will redirect to a different site.
You can add malware to your site to infect the users who access your site.

So be careful to scan any QR code make sure to use antivirus to scan the QR code or use the QR Kaspersky scanner or just download the Kaspersky app it has a feature to scan the QR code.

There's a possibility of getting Malware on phone through QR code scanning if the link provided after the code scanning is coded in a way that will redirect users to websites or links that are malicious.
I think we just need to take extra caution when dealing with online activities because technology is advancing every day and online theft is implementing new strategies.

There are some threats from QR code and when you are on Internet, you have to practice a general rule, don't be too curious and want to explore every new things you see. If you do this, your curiosity will put you and your devices at bigger risk.

How cybercriminals mask QR codes (https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/qr-code-threats/39789/)

If you are worrying about it, with the question in OP, you seem to be careful enough and it is a prevention for potential cyber security issues.

I read from several sources, including antivirus provider blogs. In general, QR codes themselves are safe because they have no intrinsic security risks; This means that when you scan it, your device will not immediately be exposed to viruses or malware.

The risk of getting a virus or malware is when you carry out a further process by clicking on a link obtained through a barcode scan, which could have been manipulated by scammers, for example, in the form of a link containing malware which is automatically downloaded or installed when you click on the link.



Reference:
- https://www.eset.com/za/about/newsroom/press-releases-za/blog/best-practices-when-scanning-and-using-qr-codes/
- https://www.malwarebytes.com/cybersecurity/basics/what-is-a-qr-code

I don't think a QR code in itself can execute code or open/download links — you'll need to do the action yourself after scanning the QR code. Scanning a QR code is like typing in a website URL on your browser without pressing the 'enter' button yet.

You are correct. But no link is altered through the QR code, but a link is altered by itself before generating the QR code which is a link to download malware. QR code itself is safe. About taking extra caution, anything you paste with QR code, you have to check and recheck that thing, making sure it is correct before proceeding.

This is a bit misleading, because if the QR code contains a link to a malicious website, and your phone is configured to automatically open the website after your scan the code, then you will instantly get infected if the malware is able to work on your device. So we must be careful about what we scan and make sure we can view the full URL (or at least the protocol and website if applicable).

Consider QR code is a gate to open something. If click on it, you will be direct to a potential threat, it is risky and I would like to avoid it.

If I am directed to a phishing website, will I lose my money?
Yes or No, it depends on what I will do on that website but prevention is better than cure. If I can avoid potential threats at a first step, I will prioritize it than jumping into a hold and try to do my research to escape from it.

it needs to be auto-executable once you have scanned the QRcode, but the question is can you get yes, once redirected to the link being attached to the QR if you have accidentally clicked it, then its game over, especially if you are using phone that you never updated once they are available, that is why phone have updates since they need to fix the bugs and issues that may cause hackers to use those holes to get in to your phone.

usually, the QR code will display the URL first before we agree to continue to the web destination. perhaps some devices are set to log in automatically after scanning the code.
but if there is no contact with the phishing website such as transaction approval or wallet exchange, I don't think it will be a problem.
To avoid this, we should not carelessly connect our devices with just any QR code scan. or if we access our wallet via smartphone, maybe we can use it separately from the device we use for social activities.

It is possible to get malware on your phone through scanning the QR code. Having QR code doesn't do anything at all because it is all about what's in that code and when you scan it. If you don't want to use your phone right away and there are places where you can use computers after you pay then you should scan it using it. Wondering how you will scan the code?. There are free online QR code scanner either by camera or by uploading the QR code. I have tried it myself when I am not sure what's in the QR code or I am curious on what is in the QR code and also doing it just to be sure that it is safe. As what post above mentioned about generating QR Codes is possible and there are also websites that you can use to generate QR Code and not just for scanning the code.

QR code is the same method of displaying words, but it is in a square form that the scanner can understand quickly, and it may contain within it a link to reliable URLs, phishing links, images, words, or malware. Therefore, modify the settings so that the links do not open automatically, or that you manually verify the content before Copy it, open it in the browser, or download it, then you will be safe.

Don't go-around scanning everything you see only, this is something I saw my little nephew doing with their smartphone,  :D :D only kids should be doing such thing.

If you want to scan QRCode is should be from maybe exchange or another crypto wallet you plan to send some coins into, also I don't think you will automatically lose your funds, you still have to open the link and proceed with something that will give the scammers access to your fund.

You are the only one that can still give access to scammers in your wallet, so just make sure you know what you are doing, QR code should come from trusted sources, like centralized exchange or when processing some payments.

Yes but probably not indirectly right? This qr code is a shprt cut to somewhere maybe a link or anything which if those path contain malware or malicious threat and you continue then thats the only time youll be in potential danger to steal and hack. But that depends on how you click it. Maybe be aware on scanning QR codes or only to those establishment known as harmless. If you see a new one maybe just dont do that.

I ONLY use "old" 2G GSM and 3G UMTS mobile phones which means I DO NOT USE "smart phones" which means that I am 100% safe from malwares, viruses etc etc etc...

*happy me*   ;D

Of course not. QR scanning is an offline procedure

Possible.

Like someone is giving you a direct link to the download button. So when being scanned by the QR scanner, it can directly make you download the file that contains malware.

So, don't just keep on scanning QR codes out of curiosity.

Well don't restaurants and stores have to scan the QR code to choose food or to pay?


If so, wouldn't that mean someone could manipulate the QR code or something like that?


Imagine it's a place where they require people to scan the QR and it's a public place.  Can someone do something with that code though?

Yes, it can, because, for example, if my website is coded to a QR code, and perhaps, let's say, the site is a malicious site that only requires you to open the site on your phone, your phone will get infected. That means that if you scan the QR code and are directed to my site, you can get infected because I only require you to open the site on your phone. It's as simple as that. In other words, you can also have a QR code to scan before you can download a file, and if that file is the malware itself, that means scanning the code that automatically downloads the file means you are also infected.

I have watched something like this on your mind when someone switched to their QR so they paid for the person that switched the QR instead of the store itself.

But when you do these payments through QR codes, the cashier or staff have to verify it first that they have received the payment before letting you go if someone has manipulated the qr.

Technically yes and more likely possible if you choose to scan a QR code found on a random web page but you are less likely to be exposed to such malware if you scan a QR to pay vendors or restaurants and typically you will scan the QR code via the money paying app which will tell you that the QR code is a valid address and if not it gives you invalid that is what the security measures inbuilt in those apps.

If you could afford another phone, why not buy a new one? Especially if you hold huge amount of bitcoin in your phone
we all should be careful since there are plenty ways to hack into someone’s phone

If the QR code redirects to a website that contains a malware, you will get it on your phone, unless you have an anti-virus/malware. Usually, at least with my app, can check the url of the website it redirects too which will give you an indication if does look fishy.

better use multiple gadgets mate .


make sure to separate your wallet/holding gadget to those units that you used in browsing or watching movies or even gamings because those may contain malwares or malicious links.

but even anti virus sometimes are bypassed by malwares .

If you are serious about this?? then you are a legend  :D but I doubt this is real because
you need to have access to some sites also that needs smart phones or at least Iphones

like others or many of us suggest , better to have extra phones for browser this is the
only way we will be safer from those hacking and scamming .
at least now it is clearer for everyone to never scan unless they have no crypto
on those phones they uses.

Well in general, scanning a QR code itself is not a direct way to get malware on your phone but malicious QR codes can redirect you to websites that may attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in your device. So to stay safe, ensure your device's software is up-to-date and be cautious when scanning QR codes from untrusted sources. :)

Let's say you scan QR of an BEP20 address in your electrum then it will say the address is invalid so there will be no further actions to execute so even if you scan QR code that may lead to a malware website then you are less likely to be affected but if you do with your QR code scanner app then it will become a problem.

I'm not sure why internet users like us and specially a crypto users needs to deal using same gadgets?
Phones nowadays are very cheap comparing to how much we have now in our crypto assets so better
not use or exploit your phone than using separate phones like what others said here and i believe
this is the best advise to do.

Technically, everything is possible, any software product has loopholes, and most likely, if you decide to scan a QR code found on a random web page, you are potentially becoming a victim of scammers. Therefore, if you use such a tool, scan the QR code only in official verified places. No one is immune to this type of fraud, so do everything you can to protect yourself from it by checking sources and using best security practices. Fraudsters can exploit various vulnerabilities.

I would say not just for the crypto but overall the internet is filled with malware that can compromise our privacy so using phones that don't have any personal files should be the better option to connect to the internet but it isn't practical though and after all we are living in the era where people prefer storing everything over cloud storage over their phone. :D