Wondering what the risks are in scanning QR codes with my iPhone. Is it possible to infect a phone through just the QR code? I ask because there is an increasing amount of QR code scams and QR codes are everywhere these days.
There is no risk in scanning a QR code as far as anything infecting your iPhone. The risk is that it may be linked to a phishing website where you believe you are visiting a legitimate website and providing any personal information may compromise your account. It really is no different than clicking a link in a message or email.
Something to consider. The people warning of this threat in that article are a security company. It is in their best interests to have people afraid of everything.
Your biggest risk is that the code could send you to a dodgy website, just like all of those texts and email scams. Regardless of how you get to a website, you need to be careful when you get there.
Here's some information from the government of Canada, who is not trying to sell you anything
https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/security-considerations-qr-codes-itsap00141
Note that first they scare you by making a claim that it can bypass login pages, capture keystrokes, and launch exploits, then provide an example of a Doom game that does none of that. In fact if you scan the code that they provide, your iPhone will say "QR Code Detected - No usable data found", and absolutely nothing launches.
Thanks, Jim. I figured as much but you can never be too careful these days. QR codes are everywhere; restrooms, light posts, restaurant walls etc
Risk of scanning QR codes with iPhone
