After two years and untold of scans, cybersecurity experts at the FBI have issued a warning over the dangers of public QR codes.
Authorities in both the US and Australia have warned of QR code scams targeting the public.
The barcode-style tech has offered a speedy alternative to writing down personal details at events and venues, and has been used by governments around the world in their accelerated contact-tracing efforts.
But after almost two years of check-in procedures across the globe, the inevitable security problem sprouting from requiring billions of people to scan complex codes multiple times per day has been laid bare.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last week warned the public of scammers altering the very same QR codes that are being used to facilitate transactions and check-ins around the country amid the pandemic.
“A victim scans what they think to be a legitimate code but the tampered code directs victims to a malicious site, which prompts them to enter login and financial information. Access to this victim information gives the cybercriminal the ability to potentially steal funds through victim accounts,” the notice reads.
The Bureau admitted tracing attacks back to the source was tricky, warning that law enforcement “cannot guarantee the recovery of lost funds after transfer”.
A report out of Texas claimed fraudulent codes had been placed on more than 25 parking stations in the city of Austin.
“People attempting to pay for parking using those…
