Rising trend in ‘quishing’ attacks targets QR code users

Cybersecurity firm ReliaQuest reports a 51% increase in ‘quishing’, or QR code phishing, in September 2023. Typically mimicking legitimate bank or tech firms, these attacks trick victims into entering sensitive information such as Microsoft credentials or banking details. Over 56% of attacks resemble Microsoft 2FA enquiries, while 18% involve counterfeit banking sites. As these can bypass usual email filters, aggressive defences, employee training, and anti-phishing tools like ReliaQuest’s GMPA must be employed.