QR Scanner (PFA) 4.6.12

QR Codes have become increasingly significant, even replacing traditional barcodes in some areas. Capable of storing up to seven thousand characters, a QR Code can accommodate more complex content such as vCards. As a result, QR Codes are prevalent on almost every advertisement poster, encouraging users to scan them with their smartphones. This eliminates the need for handwritten notes, as scanning the QR Code suffices. Consequently, numerous QR Code scanner apps are now available on the Google Play Store. One such app is the Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App, developed by the research group SECUSO at Technische Universität Darmstadt. For more information, visit secuso.org/pfa.

• Our Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App distinguishes itself in two key aspects:
• The Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App minimizes permission requirements to the essential level, unlike many other QR Code scanner apps on the Google Play Store that often request unnecessary permissions such as access to contacts, call logs, and internet data retrieval.
• The app assists users in identifying malicious links embedded within QR Codes. These links could lead to phishing websites or automatically download malware. By highlighting the domain (e.g., displaying secuso.org for https://www.secuso.org), users are alerted to potentially harmful links. To ensure safety, users must confirm that they have inspected the link and deem it trustworthy. The generic nature of the information provided post-scanning emphasizes general user caution rather than tailoring responses to specific URLs.

The Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App supports various QR code types, including barcodes and other commonly used coding formats.

This app is part of a collection of privacy-friendly applications developed by the SECUSO research group. For additional information, visit https://secuso.org/pfa.

• Connect with us:
• Twitter - @SECUSOResearch (https://twitter.com/secusoresearch)
• Mastodon - @SECUSO_Research@bawü.social (https://xn--baw-joa.social/@SECUSO_Research/)
• For job opportunities, visit https://secuso.aifb.kit.edu/english/Job_Offers_1557.php