Don’t get scammed using a QR code – 7 Tips to keep you safe

Written by guest poster, Len Noe, technical evangelist and white hat hacker at CyberArk 

If it seems like there’s a QR code on everything these days, you’re right. In the contactless era, these little black and white grids emerged from relative obscurity to replace everything from restaurant menus to train station ads. The Australian government embraced them wholeheartedly to facilitate contact tracing and vaccination status verification.

More than two years of pandemic-fuelled cyber-crime has made many consumers more cautious about their digital activity. Emails, calls and even texts are scrutinised closely, forcing many attackers to step up their phishing games. And yet, QR codes haven’t really registered as potentially dangerous, and most people still scan them without a second thought.

What is a QR Code? Short for quick response codes, QR codes are a type of two-dimensional barcode that contain data, often for a locator, identifier or tracker. They can be easily read by a smartphone or other camera-equipped device and converted into useful information for the end-user, such as a URL for a website or an application. QR codes are accessible, easy to produce and, seemingly, here to stay. They’re also a perfect way for cyber criminals to snag your personal information. 

Last year, the private key used to sign the European Union’s Green Pass vaccine passports was reportedly leaked or forged. Within days, fake QR code-laden passes signed with the stolen key were up for sale on the Dark Web. In China, scammers have been caught placing fake parking tickets — complete with QR codes for easy mobile fine payment — on parked cars. And in Texas, criminals hit the streets, pasting stickers of malicious QR codes on to city parking meters and tricking residents into entering credit card details into a fake phishing site.

QR code attacks are happening everywhere with alarming frequency. Here are seven ways to protect yourself:

Don’t scan it!

If anything feels off, don’t scan the QR code. Just go to the actual website directly. Any legitimate QR code should have an associated URL under it, giving users the option to navigate there directly. If it’s missing, beware.

Slow down

Before you scan any QR code, ask yourself: Do I know who put the QR code there? Do I trust that it hasn’t been tampered with? Does it even make sense to use a QR code in this situation?

Inspect QR code URLs closely

After scanning the QR code, check out the URL it directs you to before proceeding. Does it match the organisation associated with the QR code? Does it seem suspicious, or include strange misspellings or typos? For instance, in the Texas parking meter scams, part of the URL used was “passportlab.xyz” — clearly not an official city government website. You can also do a quick web search of the URL to confirm that the QR code is legitimate.

Look for signs of physical tampering

This is especially important in places where QR codes are commonly used, such as restaurants. If you spot a QR code sticker adhered to a page over another code, be very skeptical.

Never download apps from QR codes

Bad actors can clone and spoof websites easily. Always go to the official app market for your device’s OS and download your apps from there.

Don’t make electronic payments via QR codes

Use the native app or direct a browser to the official domain and log in there.

Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA)

This will help protect your sensitive accounts, such as banking, email and social media apps. With another authentication layer in place, a cyber-criminal cannot access your data with just your login and password.

When it comes to QR codes, the best piece of advice is to always use common sense. If it was an email, would you click on it? QR codes are becoming one of attackers’ favourite phishing methods — and the same rules apply. Proceed with caution and apply the same security scrutiny as you would with anything in the digital realm.

Scan safe out there — or better yet, don’t scan at all!

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Become a PlayStation Star, save money and score digital collectables

PlayStation Australia recently announced that its upcoming rewards program, PlayStation Stars, will be coming to Australia later this year, offering money-saving benefits and digital collectibles.

Free for anyone to join when it launches, PlayStation Stars will offer rewards for participating in a range of campaigns and activities. Some campaigns involve playing a game each month, while others are more competitive in nature. These range from winning tournaments and earning in-game trophies, including being the first in your region to platinum a new game.

Points awarded in exchange for participating in PlayStation Stars campaigns will have various uses. As mentioned in the PlayStation Australia announcement, you can redeem points for potential goodies like funds for the digital PlayStation Store and other products. Active PlayStation Plus subscribers who sign up for the PlayStation Stars initiative automatically earn points for purchases made through the digital store.

Another element of PlayStation Stars is a new type of reward simply called “digital collectibles”. Not much else is known at this early stage other than they’ll be some sort of digital character and device figurines to collect. According to the official announcement, there will always be a new collectible to work towards.

What PlayStation Stars-like programs do other companies have?

With the announcement of PlayStation Stars, Sony’s gaming division will be up to speed with its competitors. Various game companies already have loyalty programs in place that offer benefits at checkout.

Nintendo has one of the more direct rewards programs in My Nintendo. You accrue Gold Points with each game purchase: digital purchases are worth more than buying a physical copy, however. For digital purchases, 5% of what you pay comes back as Gold Points, while physical purchases are capped at 1% of the RRP. Gold Points are worth one cent, usable when buying games via the Nintendo eShop. Conversely, Platinum Points are earned via promotions and can be redeemed in exchange for merchandise.

Xbox uses Microsoft Rewards, where points are spent on Xbox credit, Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, and various gift cards. You receive points for completing activities such as logging into the Xbox Game Pass app, playing certain games, and purchasing Xbox and Microsoft games.

PC players have a few different options owing to the variety of available storefronts. Steam users earn trading cards when participating in promotions and playing bought games. These can then be bought and sold via the Steam Community Market, where other digital goods are also sold. The Humble Store is another major PC storefront, and it offers up to 10% of purchases as store credit.

Although certainly not the first to offer digital incentives for playing games, it’s good to see Sony offer its own program with PlayStation Stars. Aside from wallet funds, I’m curious to see what the vague promise of “digital collectibles” entails. We’ll find out later this year as PlayStation Stars rolls out in phases across different regions.

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The NBN hopes to double internet costs; the Federal Government just stopped it

Proposed amendments from NBN Co to change its wholesale internet pricing model were rejected by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, a move internet providers believe will keep costs affordable for users.

In March, NBN Co proposed changes to the Special Access Undertaking (SAU) to increase wholesale prices so it could remain competitive with mobile internet providers like Starlink. However, it faced widespread opposition due to its impact on retailers and consumers. Under the now-dismissed proposal, a 50Mbps plan would’ve cost as much as a 100Mbps plan within years, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The suggested changes also included increasing 100Mbps plans by the CPI plus 3% for the first two years of the amended SAU, followed by an annual CPI or 3% increase thereafter.

Of the NBN Co’s proposed regulatory changes, Rowland said they were “underpinned by unrealistic revenue expectations, and reflected a view to privatisation.”

“The SAU variation process offers the best prospect of a regulatory outcome that serves the long-term interests of consumers, but I have formed the view that the current NBN Co variation proposal is not acceptable.”

In an update following NBN Co’s unsuccessful bid to change the SAU, the ACCC proposed a mid-August industry meeting to discuss the next steps. In the same media release from the consumer watchdog, it noted “a range of potential issues” with NBN Co’s initial proposal, and that industry feedback was “generally not supportive” of the suggested changes.

Local telco Aussie Broadband supported Rowland’s assessment, labelling the NBN Co wholesale pricing situation “monopolistic”. Aussie Broadband Managing Director Phillip Britt wants NBN Co to have a greater vision for Australia’s internet infrastructure beyond recouping costs.

“Minister Rowland is right when she says NBN Co’s proposals had unrealistic revenue expectations,” Britt said in a media release. “As modern infrastructure that is owned by everyday Australians, NBN Co should be focusing on committing to future network investment and better reseller incentives, not paying down debt.”

“We’ve already seen that Australians will naturally upgrade to faster internet plans when the technology is available at the right price. As more Australians get access to plans offering speeds of 250Mbps and greater, better reseller incentives and pricing controls won’t just make those plans more attractive – they’ll provide better long-term outcomes for NBN Co as well.”

After having its proposal rejected and widely criticised, NBN Co is expected to make a new submission early next year. ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey mentioned consultation will take place soon after.

“When we receive NBN Co’s new variation proposal, we will review it and commence consultation as quickly as possible, so that the ACCC’s statutory process is finalised by early 2023,” Brakey said. “We are fully aware that broadband providers face commercial uncertainty without a variation to the undertaking in place.”

“Importantly, our consultation will build on the submissions we’ve already received, and the meetings we had with the telco industry last year.”

Hopefully, the new proposal will result in fair and equitable access to fast and reliable internet for as many Australians as possible.

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Is TikTok the pied piper of streaming platforms?

It’s no secret that TikTok is wildly popular, especially with younger demographics, but new research has revealed just how much the social media app has overtaken YouTube in a key performance indicator.

Throughout 2021 globally, users between the ages of 4-18 inclusive watched TikTok videos for an average of 91 minutes per day. Comparatively, YouTube only attracted 56 minutes from the same demographic. The first time TikTok overtook YouTube in the crucial minutes-watched measurement was in June 2020, when younger users averaged 82 daily minutes on TikTok versus 75 minutes on YouTube. Across the entirety of 2020, TikTok held the advantage with a global average of 75 minutes alongside 64 minutes for YouTube. Clearly, the gulf has only widened since.

This data comes from the Spanish parental control software company Qustodio via TechCrunch. Data from 400,000 families with Qustodio accounts was sourced, collecting real-world app usage. It shows that YouTube was still the preferred app in terms of minutes watched as recent as 2019. Since then, young people’s average watch time across both YouTube and TikTok increased, likely driven by the global pandemic and various lockdowns across the world.

TikTok’s growing popularity over other video apps and social media platforms has resulted in competitors adopting similar features. YouTube recently expanded its TikTok-like Shorts platform, which uses the same vertically-aligned video structure. Similarly, Instagram is doubling down on Reels, pushing a heavy focus on video content.

It’s not all doom and gloom for YouTube, however. TechCrunch mentioned that younger users still spent more time watching YouTube videos than content on many major streaming services. 56 minutes per day puts the video-sharing site ahead of Disney+ (47 minutes), Netflix (45 minutes), and Amazon Prime (40 minutes). Interestingly, streaming platform Twitch lags well behind with an average of 20 minutes a day.

This data will no doubt catch the attention of advertisers around the world. Minutes watched is regarded as a major performance metric, one that TikTok is said to actively reward; the more watch time a video attracts, the more likely it will appear on the For You Page, the app’s starting screen, which then results in more exposure.

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Samsung launches new monitors including a world-first 240Hz 4K gaming display

Samsung has announced its latest monitors coming to Australia, including the 2022 ViewFinity range for business and creative users, in addition to new Odyssey gaming displays.

What immediately catches the eye is the 32-inch Odyssey Neo G8, a monitor Samsung claims is the first 240Hz 4K gaming display in the world. It headlines three gaming additions, with the Odyssey Neo G7 and Odyssey G4 also available for pre-order ahead of 8 August.

Samsung going on a gaming Odyssey

The Odyssey Neo G8 features a 4K 1000R curved VA panel with a speedy 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. It uses Quantum Mini LED technology to power the display capable of reaching 2000 nits of brightness, and is certified Quantum HDR2000 for high contrast between light and dark image details. Additionally, the G8 monitor has CoreSync rear lighting that detects the on-screen colours to add extra ambience.

Alongside the flagship G8 display are the Odyssey Neo G7 and Odyssey G4 gaming monitors. The G7 is also a 32-inch 1000R curved VA panel unit, with nearly the exact same specs as the G8 except it has a slightly slower – but still decent – 165Hz refresh rate. Conversely, the Odyssey G4 is more of a budget option, coming with a 1920 x 1080 IPS flat panel capable of a 240Hz refresh rate.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 monitor.

Both the G8 and G7 monitors feature AMD FreeSync Premium Pro to help reduce lag and screen-tearing while gaming, ensuring a smooth experience. Meanwhile, the G4 uses the slightly less fancy FreeSync Premium option and is also compatible with Nvidia’s equivalent G-Sync technology.

On sale from August 8, the Odyssey Neo G8 will retail for $1,999, while the Neo G7 will cost $1,799, and the G4 will be $549 (27-inch) or $499 (25-inch).

ViewFinity and beyond

On the work end of the spectrum, Samsung has launched the ViewFinity S80PB UHD Business Monitor. Aimed at business and creative users, ViewFinity is the new label Samsung uses to refer to its high resolution monitor range.

Available in 32-inch and 27-inch models, the ViewFinity S80PB has a 4K IPS panel with a DisplayHDR 600 rating. One of the big selling points is its wide viewing angle and glare-free screen to help provide a comfortable workspace wherever you’re set up.

Another headline feature is that you can connect the ViewFinity S80PB via a USB-C cable. This enables display signals, 10Gbps data transferral, Ethernet connectivity, and fast charging of up to 90W. It’s also designed to be space-efficient and ergonomic, with various tilt, swivel, and adjustment configurations to suit your needs.

On sale now, a 32-inch ViewFinity S80PB monitor costs $999, while the 27-inch version is $799.

Manufacturers are continually pushing what’s possible with modern technology. Samsung’s G8 monitor stands out for its combo of 4K resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. Once upon a time, you had to choose between resolution or refresh rate. Companies like Samsung and Dell are proving that’s no longer the case – as long as you don’t mind paying a premium for the luxury.

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Scammers double down as Australians lose millions during the pandemic

Australians lost $295 million to scams in the first half of 2022, more than double the same period last year, as scammers double down on efforts to swindle consumers during the pandemic.

While losses to scams have increased significantly since last year, the total number of scams reported to the ACCC’s Scamwatch has decreased by 15 per cent, according to analysis by cybersecurity company Proofpoint. This suggests scammers are becoming more effective and sophisticated when stealing personal information and syphoning money from fewer attempts.

March 2022 saw the single greatest monthly loss on Scamwatch’s record, with $95 million in losses reported, while January saw the greatest number of reports for the year at more than 21,000.

Investment scams were the most financially damaging during the first half of 2022, causing more than $219 million in losses, compared to $177 million lost throughout the entirety of 2021. This was followed by dating and romance scams, which cost Australians $16 million in the first half of 2022.

Australians aged over 65 reported the greatest losses to scams over the period, totalling $51 million. Men accounted for 61 per cent ($181 million) in losses, compared to 37 per cent ($111 million) for women.

Rather than focus on spam emails, scammers favoured phone calls – with 33,403 reports of scam calls to Scamwatch, followed by text message scams with 32,700 reports.

“In light of this rise in SMS scams, it is encouraging to see the ACCC register new rules for telecommunications providers to help stop scam messages from reaching customers,” says Adrian Covich – Senior Director, Technical Sales, Asia Pacific and Japan at Proofpoint.

“While this is a step in the right direction, we urge Australians to continue to be vigilant about any unsolicited communications and not to solely rely on these measures to stop scams from getting through.”

As scammers double down on their efforts, Proofpoint’s tips to avoid being scammed include:

• Never share personal or financial information including bank account or credit card details with someone you don’t know. 
• Do not click through links or open attachments from unknown senders whether that’s over email, text, social media or online. 
• Look out for spelling and grammatical errors, these can suggest a message is a scam. 
• Only communicate with an organisation through official channels found on company websites, do not reply directly to emails or click on links provided. 
• Do not share passwords with people and ensure you change passwords regularly. Consider using a password manager to help protect your personal information from being stolen. 
• Be cautious about phone calls or emails that come out of the blue with investment offers or travel and other prizes.

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AFL and Google make footy more accessible

Keen to get more people playing Aussie Rules footy, a major update to the Footy Skills Lab web app will make the sport accessible to more people, including people with wheelchairs.

A collaboration between Google and the Australian Football League (AFL), Footy Skills Lab launched last year as a free web app designed to teach football fundamentals. Using your phone’s camera and artificial intelligence, the app gives performance feedback across a range of drills. Video clips from players like AFLW 2020 Best and Fairest winner Maddy Prespakis and Melbourne forward Tayla Harris demonstrate expert technique before each session. One of the reasons behind the Footy Skills Lab was to provide a training method for community athletes during the pandemic.

The big Footy Skills Lab updates

Several new features headline the recent Footy Skills Lab update, many aimed at making it easier for people with accessibility needs to learn the sport. Upon launching the web app, you can now toggle settings like captions, video playback speed, and AFL Wheelchair mode. It’s also easier to know when activities start and finish, thanks to new coloured visual cues and audio prompts to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing. So you don’t have to go through all the settings every time, accessibility features are saved to your device.

Source: Google.

There are also new video coaches as part of the Footy Skills Lab update. Victorian Wheelchair Football League Captains Louis Roe and Chris Henderson host the AFL Wheelchair sessions, during which the app lets you know when you need space and a flat surface to complete an activity.

For the budding umpires, AFL umpire Nathan Williamson is another new coach available to choose from. He guides you through the technique behind bouncing the ball when restarting play – a tough skill to master.

It’s a fantastic initiative from Google and the AFL’s Disability Inclusion team that hopefully inspires other sporting codes to provide similarly accessible resources. Everyone should have the opportunity to play sport, so it’s heartening to see more inclusive programs established.

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