Through its mobile VPN service, VPN4ALL keeps users safe from phishing attacks and dangerous malware stemming from malicious QR codes
(PRWEB) February 14, 2012
VPN4ALL, a VPN service that provides its subscribers with online and mobile security, privacy and anonymity, is responding to the growing and serious nature of QR code cyber attacks by reminding mobile users that a VPN service will block malicious sites and anyone who tries to get into the network without authorized access.
QR codes are a boon for mobile marketers, as they have a “cool factor” and are convenient for getting attention and traffic to a website, mobile app or other advertisement. However, these unique square barcodes have become popular targets for mobile attacks because once a user scans the QR code with a mobile device’s camera there is no indication or guarantee for where they will be taken and whether the destination site or app is safe.
“QR codes are much like a mystery box,” says Alex Tishler, VP of VPN4ALL. “The idea is that marketers are playing on a user’s curiosity coupled with whatever promise is made in the advertisement featuring the barcode to get a person to scan and follow the link. Unfortunately, if that link is malicious, that person’s data is compromised. A quality mobile VPN service will actually block these attacks and prevent anyone from accessing the network who isn’t authorized to be on there.”
QR codes work differently than URL-shortening services or posting a website address because it requires users to interact with the barcode at the moment they see it, instead of writing down an address or committing it to memory for a later date. Additionally, QR code attacks can exploit nearly the full suite of a user’s device’s capabilities, from email, SMS and application installation. So once malware ends up on a user’s device, it has near instant access to a lot of private information.
“Unfortunately, both iOS and Android devices are at risk for QR code attacks,” says Tishler. “On an iOS device, a user can be taken to a site that ‘jailbreaks’ the device and installs malware – like keyloggers – on the device. With an Android system, a malicious application can be installed on the device and run in the background without a user ever knowing it was there.”
Although QR code attacks are not yet widely prevalent, QR-based payment services are becoming more popular, with sites like LevelUp, Kuapay and PapPal beginning to employ more QR codes. Therefore it is likely that mobile hackers will try to take advantage of this growing trend.
VPN4ALL offers mobile VPN solutions that encrypt a user’s data through any type of Internet connection, providing anonymity, privacy and security while shopping, checking email or reading over bank statements online. VPN4ALL also blocks malicious sites and apps from accessing private data through their encrypted networks.
For more information about protecting a mobile device from QR code attacks, visit http://www.vpn4all.com. To arrange an interview with VPN4ALL’s VP, Alex Tishler, contact media consultant, Ryan Newhouse, at press(at)vpn4all(dot)com or (718) 407-0002.
About VPN4ALL
VPN4ALL is a no-hardware-required subscription-based VPN service which combines enhanced VPN technology, a fast global VPN server network in over 30 countries and an easy-to-use VPN client for Windows and Mac systems. Since 2009, VPN4ALL has provided over 100,000 users worldwide with ultimate online security, privacy and anonymity, as well as unrestricted online experiences through any type of Internet connection.
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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebVPN4ALL/VPN_mobile_QRCodesecurity/prweb9190327.htm
Article source: http://www.seattlepi.com/business/press-releases/article/QR-Code-Malware-is-Serious-VPN4ALL-Protects-3321684.php
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