Social Engineering

Social engineering exploits human psychology (trust, fear, curiosity, urgency) rather than technical vulnerabilities. QR codes are exploited as new vectors because users trust them and scan without questioning safety.

Attack methods include overlaying fake stickers on legitimate QR codes, printing QR codes on fake parking tickets, and placing fake Wi-Fi QR codes in public spaces. Urgency-based attacks ("Your account is compromised - scan now") are particularly effective at bypassing judgment.

Defense habits: verify QR code sources, check for sticker overlays in public, verify email/SMS senders, and confirm URL domains after scanning.