
Better known as the QR code, these two-dimensional box things are several generations up from the good old bar code of the 80s and 90s.
In effect they do very much the same thing but are far more versatile and are there to make our lives easier, especially when it comes to making e-payments or returning items to places like Amazon.
Yesterday, for example, I wanted to return a hard drive to Amazon. They emailed me back with a QR code. The instructions were to take my phone to the nearest applicable Post Office, fire up the email and let them scan the QR code, which in turn prints off a return label for the package.
All very convenient of course, but it also makes quite a few assumptions – not least that you have a smartphone, but also have the nous to make sure it has your email app installed in order to launch the QR code.
In the old days,Amazon would email you a Returns Address label, which you printed off, cut out and affixed to your package (but again this assumed you had a printer!). But now everything is gearing towards QR and that we all need to be be ready for it.
However, there are a huge number of security issues with QR codes, not least is that you haven’t got the foggiest idea what information has been coded into that QR code when you scan it with your phone.
Scanning a code from a reliable retailer such as Amazon, is probably okay; but you have to be extremely careful scanning Codes from the public domain, such as coffee outlets, charity shops or from spam emails asking you to scan a code in order for you to receive a big prize!
I won’t bore you with the details (see links below), but the dangers of QR codes has never really been spelt out to the public (unless you do your homework), especially young people who don’t care about the dangers, but just want the convenience.
QR codes is a form of contactless payment, part of the Cashless Society Project. But QR codes just like apps and emails contain viruses, misleading information, collect your personal information and all sorts of additional security risks people are walking blindly into.
Be careful what you scan!
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Forbes News
Nominated by: Technocunt