How to Secure QR Codes Against Phishing and Quishing Attacks in 2025

Ever scanned a QR Code, only to pause and wonder if it’s actually safe? 

QR Code phishing attacks jumped 25% in 2025, hitting over 26 million Americans with malicious links, according to Hoxhunt’s latest report. Millions of people thought they were paying for parking, viewing restaurant menus, or entering contests, but instead handed their data directly to criminals.

The attacks have a name now: quishing.

Take what happened to a major retail chain during its 2024 holiday campaign. Scammers placed fake QR Code stickers over legitimate codes at 200 store locations. Within 48 hours, legitimate scans dropped 15%, support tickets exploded, and they spent $2.3 million on damage control, not counting lost sales or the trust that took years to build and seconds to destroy.

Quishing damage spreads everywhere: consumers lose money, IT teams face breach cleanups, compliance officers deal with GDPR nightmares, and marketers watch campaign trust evaporate and lose ROI when hijacked QR Codes destroy campaigns..

But QR Codes aren’t really the threat. Unguarded destinations, weak operational controls, and a lack of oversight are. Thankfully, secure QR Codes exist to keep you, your campaigns and your customers safe. 

This guide breaks down exactly how quishing works, and equips you with a playbook to end QR Code phishing attacks and win faster security sign-offs.

Table of contents

1. What is quishing and how does it differ from other QR Code threats?
2. Key strategies to secure QR Codes against attacks
3. Challenges of QR Code phishing: What business leaders fear
4. Benefits of using a secure QR Code platform
5. Best practices for mitigating QR Code phishing attacks
6. Commonly asked questions and answers on QR Code phishing

What is quishing and how does it differ from other QR Code threats?

Quishing is short for QR Code phishing, in which cybercriminals embed malicious or phishing URLs inside QR Codes. When users scan these codes, they are directed to fraudulent websites designed to steal login credentials, personal information, or deliver malware.

QRLjacking is different; it targets login systems. When you scan a QR Code to log into an app, attackers can steal your session and take over your account. A streaming service discovered this in January 2025 when hackers compromised thousands of premium accounts. Users scanned QR Codes on their smart TVs to log in, not knowing they were giving criminals full access.

Cloning and tampering are more straightforward. With cloning, criminals copy your legitimate QR Code but change where it goes. With tampering, they physically stick fake codes over real ones in busy places. Both work because once you scan, you can’t tell the fake from the real.

Key strategies to secure QR Codes against attacks

Here’s how a secure QR Code platform (Uniqode👋🏻) protects you and your customers from QR Code phishing attacks. 

1. QR Codes with custom domains

Branded domains like qrcode.dyson.com tell users the link belongs to a brand they already know. That recognition improves trust and scan-through rates, which is a win for Marketing teams. QR Codes with custom domains also reduce mid-journey abandonment. Plus, branded domains look cleaner and more professional, which boosts brand credibility. 

2. Automatic link validation using Google’s VirusTotal API

Check every QR Code destination before deployment and monitor after. Automated systems should verify SSL certificates, scan for malware, and detect content changes. Uniqode validates every QR destination URL through Google’s VirusTotal API.

Once the system flags a link, you’ll receive a warning within 10-15 minutes. A second warning follows in case the problem isn’t fixed. No action leads to the account being blocked and every related QR Code being deactivated. 

This escalation flow ensures no malicious link is live long enough to cause real harm. Automatic link validation enables Growth and Marketing teams to launch campaigns fast without manually policing every URL. 

3. SSL certificate checks

Uniqode runs SSL checks during domain setup to confirm the destination is valid, encrypted, and secure. This check ensures that users never land on URLs that trigger ‘not secure’ warnings or become victims of phishing exploits. SSL checks help brands avoid 404s or drop-offs in the conversion funnel. 

Check out our guide on- How To Check if a QR Code is Safe

4. URL revalidation on edits

Dynamic QR Codes let you change their QR code destinations after launch. That flexibility also brings certain risks. Uniqode solves it by re-running URL security checks whenever you edit the link. URL checks confirm that new destinations aren’t malicious and pass SSL validity. This feature lets your team update assets, swap offers, or refresh links without introducing hidden threats. 

5. Anomaly scan detection

Uniqode is raising the bar on security with ScanGuard, a system built to detect abnormal scan patterns. These anomalies include bot floods from a single IP, VPN-heavy traffic, suspicious geolocation spikes, or rare device types like QR scans from desktop Windows. 

When unchecked, bots skew analytics, inflate engagement numbers, and blind marketers to actual ROI. ScanGuard is designed to flag anomalies, trigger alerts, and deactivate the affected QR Code. For businesses and teams, that means clean data, accurate reporting, and reliable protection against invisible abuse.

6. Access controls and user roles

Not everyone in your team needs complete control of your QR stack. That’s why Uniqode offers tiered roles to help you keep permissions tight and precise.

• Owner can control the entire dashboard.
• Admin can access and manage all codes. 
• Editors can manage only their QR Codes.
• Viewers have view-only rights and can’t edit codes.

Moreover, you can set up SAML-based SSO login from the dashboard, so IT teams don’t have to worry about password sprawl or IT overhead. This least-privilege model ensures users only get the necessary access, lowering errors and insider threats.

7. Alerts and internal monitoring

QR phishing detection is only half the battle. The other half is making sure the right people know about it fast. Even the best defenses will fall short without timely alerts. That’s why Uniqode delivers notifications on time every time: Slack broadcasts keep internal teams in the loop, while external members receive email alerts whenever malicious activity is detected.

This proactive alert and monitoring translates into fewer mid-campaign surprises for your team. Plus, you get the complete peace of mind knowing threats won’t quietly sit in the background. 

8. EQR or programmatic QR attacks

Attackers now use programmatic QR or EQR attacks that embed malicious JavaScript inside scanner apps to auto-trigger actions like unauthorized payments, credential theft, or remote device access. These attacks hijack the scan process instead of luring users to click on bad links. 

9. Add tamper-evident features

Physical security matters for printed QR Codes. Add these:

• Holographic stickers that change color when removed
• Custom visual elements difficult to replicate
• Serial numbers for verification
• Placement in secured or monitored locations

Static QR Code tools can’t anticipate or block these evolving attack vectors. Secure platforms like Uniqode feature multi-layered defenses like link validation, SSL checks, anomaly detection, and edit-time revalidation to keep campaigns resilient against current exploits and emerging threats.

Uniqode can help you shut down QR phishing before it starts. But smart tools are just one piece of the puzzle. You need mitigation frameworks that blend tech, governance, and education to stay ahead. 

Challenges of QR Code phishing: What business leaders fear

Here are the challenges you’re likely to face with QR Code phishing:

Quishing scares off legitimate users

Customers can’t differentiate a scammer’s QR Code from a legitimate one. Plus, trust continues to erode with incidents such as unsolicited package QR Codes stealing data. As a result, you experience lower scan-through rates for genuine campaigns, while fear of scams creates friction in the offline-to-online handoff. 

Security reviews stall campaigns

CISOs and IT security teams pause QR Code campaign launches when they see unknown redirects, generic shorteners, or destinations not scanned for malicious content. Reviewers are right to demand proof of controls, with 26% of phishing links delivered via QR Codes. You can’t afford these pauses. Missing seasonal promotions or activations drains ROI and frustrates stakeholders. 

To pass security checks in regulated industries, opt for: 

• Pre-publishing URL reputation scans
• Transparent redirect handling
• SSL validation, and 
• Auditable change logs

Sticker overlays and generic shorteners hurt trust

QR Codes lack cryptographic binding to their intended destination, meaning a malicious sticker overlay scans like the original. It’s worse on devices where links open in system banners or in-app webviews that hide full domain and certificate details.

Generic shorteners hide the landing page behind multiple redirects, making verification impossible for users and scanners. They reveal only the first hop. The actual destination may be several HTTP 30x redirects away, via open-redirects, tracking hops, or homoglyph or punycode look-alikes. 

QR Code overlays exploit the lack of content origin integrity, and shorteners exploit origin opacity. Both raise security flags, hurt customer trust, and push QR campaigns into extended review cycles. 

Consider solving these challenges with branded domains, redirect allowlists, URL reputation checks, HSTS, and browser-based handoffs.

Lack of governance creates brand risk

The absence of audit trails, access controls, and defined roles turns QR phishing from a manageable risk into a brand liability. Security reviewers stop campaigns when they can’t verify who created a code, who changed its destination, or how quickly they can remove a malicious link. IT security teams have good reason for this caution, and security standards back them up, too. 

NIST SP 800-53 mandates event logging and audit records for investigations, while ISO/IEC 27001:2022 requires logging, monitoring, and role-based access controls (RBAC). The bar is even higher in regulated sectors. HIPAA enforces audit controls for ePHI, PCI DSS v4.x requires monitoring for payment data, and GDPR Article 32 demands demonstrable access control.

If you ignore these, QRs will become more vulnerable to real threats and brand damage. Consider using branded domains, RBAC, and continuous URL reputation checks for efficient incident response. 

These challenges clarify that QR Code campaigns need embedded safeguards. Here’s how secure QR Code platforms like Uniqode specifically address each vulnerability while maintaining campaign flexibility. 

Benefits of using a secure QR Code platform

Here’s how a secure QR Code platform like Uniqode protects you and your customers from QR Code phishing attacks. 

Boost scan-through and lower spoof risk with branded domains

QR phishing attacks exploit domain ambiguity. A secure QR platform fixes this by routing scans to a brand-controlled hostname (qr.brand.com). It also uses transport layer security to:

• Authenticate the server. Customers’ devices connect to qr.brand.com and start a TLS handshake once they scan your QR Code. Then the server presents an X.509 certificate that must list qr.brand.com as its official identity. The device checks that the certificate is trusted, valid, and not revoked. The browser confirms the site is genuine, so only your server (not an attacker’s look-alike) can complete the action.

• Encrypt the connection. Modern TLS lets you keep traffic confidential with ephemeral session keys and secure ciphers. As a result, attackers can only see the domain name instead of the full URL or data on public Wi-Fi or captive portals. They also can’t inject fake redirects or scripts. 

• Preserve integrity. TLS also checks if the data has been changed in transit. The browser detects a mismatch and rejects the response even when a single byte of data changes. A secure QR Code platform tightens this further by adding HTTP strict transport security (HSTS). Plus, it blocks redirects to non-HTTPS sites and keeps the entire redirect chain unmodified. 

Reduce malicious links with automated link checks and SSL validation

Automated link checks and SSL validation offer proactive protection against malicious destinations. 

A secure QR Code platform continuously vets dynamic QR destinations and auto-disables codes when URLs become malicious. Plus, you receive immediate alerts to swap destinations before your users become victims of QR phishing. 

SSL validation ensures your QR destinations use HTTPS with a valid, non-expired, and domain-matched certificate. As a result, users won’t see ‘not secure’ warnings when they scan your QR Code. 

You can add server-side redirects and sidestep 404s when a page destination changes. These redirects fix broken links and give you clean scan-to-visit funnel data and conversion rates. The QR platform handles all these automatically, so you don’t have to change campaign links or reprint campaign assets. 

Stop bot and VPN spikes at the source

Attackers often use a single IP, autonomous system numbers (ASN), or a datacenter-like source to scam your users. This sudden surge leaves you with messy analytics. A secure QR Code software platform detects these anomalous scans and protects individual QR Codes from bot interference. If a link becomes malicious, you get an immediate notification to swap in a clean destination. 

You’ll also find QR Code platforms helpful if you struggle with VPNs, which skew location and sometimes mimic bot traffic. QR Code solutions document the limits of IP geolocation and support opt-in, device-level GPS capture for scan location. The result is fewer false positives and a clear read on ROI. 

Ensure governance with RBAC, SSO, and audit trail

Role-based access and organizational hierarchies let you decide who creates or modifies QR Codes, landing pages, and forms. Single sign-on (SSO) makes life easier for marketers by letting them log in with their existing identities, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of compliance and security. 

Audit trails tie it all together by recording exactly who did what, when, and from where. This gives you HIPAA-level accountability and makes security reviews less painful. All these translate into fewer surprises, safer delegation with least-privilege integrations, and the ability to roll out campaigns faster.

Keep campaigns safe after launch with edit-time revalidation

QR Codes don’t stop being security risks after launch. You can make a minor edit and open the door to phishing, quishing, or a broken experience. Edit-time revalidation prevents this by automatically rechecking the destination against trusted threat intel feeds and SSL checks whenever you swap a URL, replace a PDF, or retarget a new landing page. You can also preserve analytics integrity since a QR Code platform captures hijacked URLs before they start polluting scan-to-conversion funnels. 

Now, let’s look at how Uniqode helps marketing or growth teams like yours to realize these benefits. 

Best practices for mitigating QR Code phishing attacks

The pillars below outline the practical guardrails you can adopt to scale QR campaigns safely while minimizing QR Code phishing risk.

1. Use branded domain QR

Mandate branded, HTTPS custom domains for every QR Code campaign and block generic shorteners. Uniqode natively supports custom domains with SSL, so scans resolve on URLs your users know. You also have the option to use secure defaults when you aren’t ready to bring your own domain. Consistently enforce ‘custom-domain-only’ at the policy level and reject obfuscated links to reduce fear of false positives and improve scan-through rates. 

2. Maintain link hygiene

Use automatic link screening when you create or edit QR Codes. Check every destination against a reputable service and block anything flagged. 

Uniqode uses Google Web Risk to cross-reference URLs and turn off QR Codes that point to unsafe resources. You also receive emails for correcting the destination. Pair this URL hygiene check with SSL checks at domain setup so links don’t surface ‘not secure’ warnings or route to expired endpoints. You can also use VirusTotal to mirror these checks internally. The result is fewer malicious redirects, fewer broken journeys, and less manual policing for marketing ops.

3. Detect anomalous scans

Don’t let bots, VPN farms, or odd device signatures skew your dashboards. Uniqode’s anomalous scan detection filters abnormal patterns like rate-spiky IPs, repeated hosts, and large abuse repositories. Suspicious surges trigger alerts first, then disable only when abuse persists. Also, plan for VPN or geolocation artifacts and consider using Uniqode’s GPS analytics when location accuracy matters. Ultimately, you’ll get clean, decision-ready metrics that don’t overstate ROI.

4. Clean QR governance

By default, apply least privilege with clear roles like owner, admin, editor, and viewer. You can also use organizational hierarchies to separate teams or markets. Uniqode supports SAML SSO so that users can authenticate with identity providers like Okta. Features like ownership transfer and dynamic redirects let teams update destinations without reprinting assets while preserving control history. Add these controls to onboarding, offboarding, and quarterly access recertifications.

5. Create a QR security policy

Publish a QR Security Policy that names owners, sets SLAs for triage, and defines the incident flow from detection to remediation. Train employees to check the domain before scanning and other red flag cues (untrusted shorteners, urgency language), aligning with CISA’s phishing guidance. Avoid using QR for authentication unless you can enforce phishing-resistant MFA and harden the path against tampering. 

6. Maintain an audit log

Maintain audit trails for who created, edited, and deactivated QR Codes. Keep these logs handy for procurement and security assessments. 

Uniqode offers detailed audit trails and a compliance posture that helps shorten security reviews. Mirror alerts to the tools your teams already use. Uniqode supports Slack and other internal communication tools. You can bridge them to ticketing using Jira or ServiceNow via iPaaS connectors like Zapier or Workato, so incidents open automatically. Tie these logs to periodic reporting to control effectiveness over time.

Secure QR campaigns with Uniqode

QR phishing is an ongoing risk, and Uniqode tackles it with:

• Branded HTTPS domains
• Automated checks at creation and edit 
• Revalidation whenever links change
• Anomaly detection and alerts
• Governance and compliance measures

The result is secure-by-default QR operations that prevent phishing at the source, maintain clean attribution, and let Marketing teams move fast without reprints or added risk. 

Get a live demo today to see how Uniqode helps you validate domains and secure QR Codes with real-time alerts. 

Commonly asked questions and answers on QR Code phishing

Got more questions! We’ve got you covered.

1. What are the warning signs of QR phishing or quishing attacks?

Warning signs include:

• QR Codes placed in unusual or suspicious locations
• Codes pasted over legitimate ones
• Requests to scan codes from unsolicited messages or emails. 

Once scanned, signs include:

• Being asked to enter sensitive data on an unfamiliar website
• Seeing domains that don’t match the brand
• Receiving prompts to download unexpected apps

2. Which industries are most targeted by QR Code phishing attacks?

• Financial Services: Banks are prime targets because they have direct access to payment systems and financial data. The adoption of QR payment increases the attack surface.
• Healthcare: Patient data commands premium prices on dark web markets. HIPAA violations add regulatory risk.
• Retail: High-volume QR deployments across locations create multiple attack points. Customer trust directly impacts revenue.
• Manufacturing: Supply chain QR implementations for tracking and verification create operational disruption opportunities.

3. How do you protect yourself from QR Code scams?

Protection requires both caution and technical safeguards. 

• Always verify the source of the QR Code before scanning.
• Avoid codes from unsolicited emails or random printouts.
• Check the full URL after scanning. 
• Use mobile security tools or QR scanner apps that preview links before opening. 

4. What are some examples of QR Code phishing attacks?

Common examples include:

• QR Codes sent in fake package delivery notices that redirect to phishing websites.
• Codes on fake parking tickets that capture payment details.
• QR Codes in phishing emails disguised as account verification links. 

There have also been reports of attackers placing fraudulent QR stickers over legitimate ones in public places, tricking users into scanning them.

4. How can you tell if a QR Code is legitimate?

A legitimate QR Code directs you to a clearly branded, HTTPS-secured domain that matches the company you expect. If the domain looks odd or generic, it’s a red flag. Also, look for physical tampering on printed codes and confirm through the organization’s official channels if the QR Code is genuine.

5. What should organizations do after detecting a QR phishing attack?

Immediate response (0-1 hour):

• Disable affected QR Codes
• Alert security team and stakeholders
• Preserve evidence for investigation

Short-term (1-24 hours):

• Notify affected users
• Implement temporary controls
• Begin forensic analysis

Long-term (1-7 days):

• Complete incident investigation
• Update security controls based on findings
• Conduct lessons learned session
• File regulatory notifications if required

• Author Details

Author Details

Ektha S

Senior Content Marketer , Uniqode

Ektha is a QR code expert with years of research and analysis into the evolution of QR codes. Having written over 70 in-depth articles on QR technology, she has developed a comprehensive understanding of how QR codes are transforming industries. Her insights, including The State of QR Report, have been featured in leading publications. With a passion for simplifying complex topics and providing actionable strategies, Ektha helps businesses leverage QR codes to enhance their ‘phygital’ connections. 

ektha.s@uniqode.com