Luckily, this was just a test!

Quishing (QR code phishing) falls under the category of social engineering attacks. This is a particularly cunning type of attack. The aim is to steal your personal data. Cybercriminals use them for their own gain – at your or your company’s expense. In this case, there is no need to worry; your click remains anonymous. For more information, contact your company.

Smartphone displaying a qr-code

10 Tips for Better Security

Before you open the QR code, use the URL preview to check whether it seems legitimate.

Do not enter any sensitive data, such as passwords, PINs, or credit card numbers.

Is there a sense of urgency that is putting you under pressure?

Does the request contradict internal company policies?

Report quishing attempts to your country’s consumer protection agency (in Germany, this is the Verbraucherzentrale).

Do not scan any suspicious codes, especially from unknown sources.

Keep your device up to date.

If in doubt, contact the sender through one of their official channels.

Be careful not to share too much on social media.

Stay calm and do not panic!