Detecting QR Code Phishing
FreePrevent quishing attacks with advanced detection techniques.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Detecting QR Code Phishing does
Detecting QR Code Phishing with Email Security is a skill designed to combat the rising threat of QR code phishing, commonly referred to as quishing. This type of phishing attack embeds malicious URLs within QR code images, which traditional email security measures often fail to detect. As QR code phishing incidents have surged dramatically, with a notable increase from 46,000 to 250,000 incidents in just a few months, this skill provides a structured approach to identifying and mitigating these threats. It leverages advanced image analysis, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and mobile scanning techniques to enhance security measures against these sophisticated attacks.
The skill is particularly useful for security operations center (SOC) analysts, cybersecurity professionals, and organizations looking to bolster their defenses against quishing. It enables users to configure email gateway rules that specifically target QR code phishing, allowing for the extraction and analysis of URLs embedded within QR codes. By utilizing multimodal AI and integrating with existing email security tools, this skill facilitates a comprehensive detection strategy that encompasses both image-based threat detection and URL reputation analysis.
When implementing this skill, users will benefit from a series of structured workflows that guide them through enabling image-based threat detection, configuring QR code URL analysis, and deploying mobile-side protection. Additionally, the skill emphasizes the importance of user training, helping organizations educate their employees on recognizing and reporting suspicious QR code emails. This proactive approach not only improves detection rates but also fosters a culture of security awareness within the organization.
In summary, Detecting QR Code Phishing with Email Security is an essential tool for any organization looking to enhance its cybersecurity posture against emerging threats posed by QR code phishing. By integrating this skill into their security protocols, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to these increasingly prevalent attacks.
When to use it
Use this skill when investigating security incidents involving QR codes or when building detection rules for email security.
When not to use it
This skill may not be suitable for environments without adequate email security gateways or those not focused on mobile device management.
What you can build with it
Investigating Phishing Incidents
Use this skill when analyzing security incidents that involve QR codes to identify potential threats.
Building Detection Rules
Leverage this skill to create specific detection rules for email gateways targeting QR code phishing.
Training Security Staff
Implement this skill in training programs to enhance awareness and recognition of QR code phishing tactics.
How to install Detecting QR Code Phishing
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills/detecting-qr-code-phishing-with-email-security --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by mukul975Detecting QR Code Phishing with Email Security
Overview
QR code phishing (quishing) is a rapidly growing attack vector where malicious URLs are embedded in QR code images within phishing emails. Quishing incidents grew fivefold from 46,000 to 250,000 between August and November 2025, with credential phishing comprising 89.3% of detected incidents. Traditional email security filters struggle because QR codes cannot be read by humans or standard URL scanners, and when scanned, users typically use personal mobile devices that lack corporate security controls. Attackers have evolved to use split QR codes (two separate images), nested QR codes, and ASCII text-based QR codes to evade detection.
When to Use
- When investigating security incidents that require detecting qr code phishing with email security
- When building detection rules or threat hunting queries for this domain
- When SOC analysts need structured procedures for this analysis type
- When validating security monitoring coverage for related attack techniques
Prerequisites
- Email security gateway with image analysis capabilities
- Understanding of QR code structure and encoding
- Mobile device management (MDM) or mobile threat defense solution
- Security awareness training program
- SIEM platform for correlation and alerting
Key Concepts
Why Quishing Works
- Bypasses URL Scanners: Traditional gateways scan text-based URLs but cannot decode image-embedded URLs
- Shifts to Unprotected Devices: Corporate email arrives on secured systems but QR scan occurs on personal mobile devices
- User Trust: QR codes are normalized in daily life (payments, menus, parking)
- Low Detection Rate: Only 36% of quishing incidents are accurately identified by recipients
Evasion Techniques (2025)
- Split QR Codes: QR code divided into two separate images that look benign individually (Gabagool PhaaS kit)
- Nested QR Codes: QR code within a QR code, with first scan leading to intermediate page
- ASCII QR Codes: QR rendered as text characters instead of images, bypassing image analysis (12% of attacks in Jan 2026)
- Styled/Artistic QR Codes: Custom-designed QR codes with logos that evade pattern matching
- PDF Attachment QR: QR code embedded in PDF attachment rather than email body
Detection Challenges
- Pattern-based detection faces trade-off: aggressive tuning causes false positives, cautious tuning causes misses
- Average similarity score of 0.209 between quishing and legitimate QR emails
- QR codes in image attachments require OCR and deep image processing
Workflow
Step 1: Enable Image-Based Threat Detection
- Configure email gateway to scan embedded images for QR codes
- Enable OCR processing on image attachments (PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP)
- Deploy multimodal AI that combines image processing, OCR, and NLP analysis
- Configure PDF scanning to detect QR codes within attachments
- Set up detection for ASCII/text-based QR code rendering
Step 2: Configure QR Code URL Analysis
- Extract URLs from detected QR codes and submit to URL reputation services
- Apply same URL scanning policies to QR-extracted URLs as text-based URLs
- Enable real-time sandbox analysis for QR-decoded destination pages
- Configure time-of-click protection for QR-extracted URLs where possible
- Block known phishing domains extracted from QR codes
Step 3: Deploy Mobile-Side Protection
- Implement mobile threat defense (MTD) with QR code scanning capability
- Deploy Palo Alto ALFA or equivalent safe-by-design QR scanning
- Configure MDM policies to warn users before opening scanned URLs
- Enable corporate VPN/secure browser for QR-scanned destinations
- Block known credential harvesting domains at the mobile proxy level
Step 4: Build Detection Rules
- Alert on emails containing only an image and minimal text (common quishing pattern)
- Flag emails with QR code images from external first-time senders
- Detect urgency language combined with QR code presence
- Alert on emails impersonating IT/security team requesting QR scan for MFA setup
- Monitor for common quishing themes: MFA reset, document signing, voicemail notification
Step 5: Train Users on Quishing Recognition
- Update security awareness program to include QR code phishing scenarios
- Conduct quishing simulation campaigns using controlled QR codes
- Teach users to verify QR destination URLs before entering credentials
- Establish reporting process for suspicious QR code emails
- Distribute guidance on safe QR scanning practices
Tools & Resources
- Barracuda Multimodal AI: OCR + deep image processing for QR detection
- Palo Alto ALFA: Safe-by-design QR code scanning assessment
- Microsoft Defender for O365: QR code detection in email images
- Proofpoint TAP: Image-based threat analysis with QR decoding
- Lookout/Zimperium: Mobile threat defense with QR scanning
Validation
- QR code phishing emails detected in controlled testing
- Split QR code and ASCII QR code evasion techniques caught
- QR-extracted URLs submitted to sandbox analysis
- Mobile devices alert on malicious QR destinations
- User reporting rate for quishing simulations exceeds 50%
- False positive rate for QR detection below 1%
Frequently asked questions about Detecting QR Code Phishing
Similar skills
Asset Criticality Scoring for Vulns
Prioritize vulnerabilities based on asset criticality.
Performing Alert Triage with Elastic SIEM
Streamline alert triage processes in Elastic Security.
Active Directory Vulnerability Assessment
Secure your Active Directory with comprehensive assessments.
Active Directory Investigation
Streamline your Active Directory compromise investigations.
Parsing Artifacts with Eric Zimmerman Tools
Efficiently parse Windows forensic artifacts for analysis.
Operationalizing MISP Threat Feeds
Enhance threat detection with curated MISP feeds.