Quick Response (QR) codes have become common in our daily lives, bridging the gap between physical and digital experiences. Their convenience is undeniable, from accessing menus to viewing digital photo albums. However, with their widespread adoption comes the responsibility to ensure they are used safely and effectively. Like anything that becomes popular, bad actors try to take advantage of the situation.
As businesses and organizations integrate QR codes into their operations, it’s crucial to prioritize cybersecurity and user trust. This guide offers actionable insights to help you design and display QR codes that are both effective and secure.
The short answer to the question “Are QR codes Safe?” is – it depends. For the most part, they are, but like anything, there are bad actors, and so although they are safe, both businesses and individuals can take steps to make them safer.
If you are a company or organization, you will want to follow the recommendations below to ensure you are protecting your brand and all the guests who will scan your QR codes. If you are a consumer, I’d recommend looking for and scanning QR codes that consider the following best practices.
*Pro tip: Consider the location of your QR code to be safer. Similar to life, you would be safer in a back alley than at your Grandma’s senior living facility. Closed and monitored environments are less likely to have danger.
🛡️ Best Practices for Secure QR Code Implementation
1. Brand Your QR Codes
Incorporate your logo or brand colors into the QR code design. A branded QR code enhances recognition and instills trust among users.
2. Secure Physical Displays
Protect your QR codes by placing them behind glass or plexiglass or by creating a more permanent QR code sign. Bad actors may place malicious QR codes, but they will not put effort into printing permanent signs; it will almost always be a flimsy printout, low-cost, mass-produced paper or sticker. Good signage also prevents tampering or replacement with malicious codes, a tactic increasingly used by cybercriminals.
3. Try QR code apps that have safety in mind
Although the risk is low, if you have good signage and branded QR codes, another preventative measure is to use a QR code scanner. Although scanners are not 100%, they can enhance safety by doing URL safety and authenticity checks. In a world that relies more heavily on QR codes every day, using an app to scan QR codes will only increase your protection. This list highlights some of the most recommended QR code safety apps.
4. Provide Contextual Information
Accompany QR codes with clear instructions or descriptions, such as “Scan to view our digital story, or scan to add your pictures (a common memoryKPR use to use QR codes to gather user-generated content).” Providing context helps users understand the purpose and reduces hesitation.
✅ Summary: Building Trust Through Secure QR Codes
Adhering to best practices, such as branding QR codes, securing physical displays, providing context, and educating users can enhance the effectiveness and security of your QR code implementations.
The risk does exist, but so does the need, so education is the best defence agains the rise in QR code risks.
📈 The Rise of QR Codes: A Double-Edged Sword
- 89.5 million Americans were projected to scan QR codes with their smartphones in 2024.
- The marketing and advertising industries witnessed a 323% increase in QR code scans in 2023.
- However, QR code phishing attacks, or “quishing,” have surged by 25% year-over-year, highlighting the growing cybersecurity threats associated with QR codes.
At memoryKPR, we prioritize the safe and meaningful use of QR codes to connect physical moments with digital memories. Our memoryKPR story pages not only offer you the ability to create branded QR codes to meaningful story pages, we also ensure your guests’ data is safe; we only gather agnostic data from your guests for the safest experience. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your audience engages with your content confidently and securely.
Now that you know how to do it safely, check out some fun ways to use QR codes to enhance your business, events, and attractions, or reach out to book a demo.
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