QR Codes, Trust, and a Quiet Reminder

Quishing is phishing using QR codes. It's when attackers replace a link with a QR code, hoping you'll scan without thinking — leading to fake login pages, malware, or worse.

The success of this trick relies on one thing: We trust QR codes more than we should.

We've learned not to click sketchy links in emails. But a random QR code on a lamppost? Sure, why not.

That contradiction got stuck in my head years ago — the first time I scanned a QR code and thought: "I have no idea where that just took me."

In the summer of 2024, I bought this domain, thinking I'd eventually do something with it. Then, while listening to an episode of the Swedish podcast Cyber Chats & Chill, I was reminded that I still owned it. That was the nudge I needed.

So here we are.

This site lets anyone generate a QR code that points here — a safe in-between page that encourages people to stop and think before they trust what's behind the scan.

You can use it for awareness campaigns, workshops, or just as a quiet little social experiment.

Because sometimes, all it takes is one click (or scan) too many.

Hi! I'm Arvid Berndtsson, a developer with a long-running interest in cybersecurity and the weird ways we interact with tech.

I've always been curious about small, everyday risks, like QR codes, and how easily they bypass the caution we apply elsewhere. After that first moment of "wait, where did this send me?", I started using Norton's QR scanner, which previews links before opening them. That small habit has stuck ever since.

I'm not on a crusade, I just want you to think before you scan a QR code, just like you pause before clicking a link in an email.

• •Use a QR code scanner that shows you the URL before opening it
• •Don't scan random codes in public spaces, especially stickers or handouts with no context
• •Be extra careful if the code leads to a login page or download prompt
• •Trust your gut, the rules for emails apply here too

• 🧠What is quishing? – Per Axbom
• 🎧Cyber Chats & Chill (Swedish podcast)
• 🔐TryHackMe – Phishing awareness
• 📎Find me on LinkedIn