There is a certain habit with your Smartphone that can be pretty dangerous if hackers find out you do it. It involves the creation of a fake QR code that infects your device and can steal your personal information. In this time of the year several people go to eat on restaurants and they read the menu on QR codes. Hackers may replace the QR with a fake one to steal your information. Be aware!
The cybercriminals are very clever when trying to infect your device. That’s why you should be very careful when dealing with QR codes. If you have the habit of reading QR codes with your Smartphone you should prevent hackers from attacking you remotely. In this article we explore certain safety measures.
The QR code habit in your Smartphone and the hackers at restaurants
The hackers that use QR codes to take advantage of your Smartphone habit are pretty basic. They create a false QR that simulates the official web, but when you are already inside your data is exposed. In a restaurant they may glue a false QR above the original one, so it’s not that easy to discover if you are exposed.
They sometimes design websites like Google Forms and ask you to fill your personal information. That’s when they steal your data without you knowing it. If you open a webpage from a QR it’s the same as clicking on a link from a fraudulent mail.
How can you protect your device?
The most important step to protect your device and information is to know which site you are visiting. If the QR sends you to a suspicious website, you shouldn’t open your web browser. It can be a trap. Another example is those QR codes that ask you to download a file. That’s very suspicious. It can be a virus disguised as a PDF menu.
A good protection for your Smartphone is an antivirus solution. These software solutions analyze links and QR codes in order to prevent you from accessing or downloading an infected file. The Smartphone habit of reading QR codes in restaurants is a dangerous practice that hackers implement. You should be very careful to avoid risks.