QR Code Security: Risks, Threats, and Methods to Secure

QR codes have become more popular than ever. However, one needs to keep in mind that QR codes have been designed for traceability and not authentication. So, how do you secure QR code? Fortunately, this is possible, and we show you how.

As the world has undergone a rapid digital transformation, spurred in part by the global pandemic, the QR code has gone from being a quirky gimmick to a genuine contender in our arsenal of digital tools. We’re doing more things than ever online, and even when we’re out and about, we don’t want to touch too many things or spend too much time waiting around in enclosed spaces.

QR codes are a perfect solution because they’re easy to make, can contain a huge amount of content, and we all generally have the means to scan them in our pockets thanks to a mobile app on our preferred device. They’ve been around for a while, but they’ve really come into their own in the last couple of years. But while QR codes check some of the convenience and ease-of-use boxes, they’re not the best choice for counterfeit protection.

Because standard QR codes are so easy to fake, they can’t be used to verify that a product is . However, you aren’t restricted to only standard QR codes. Thanks to the increase in demand for easy-to-use, easy-to-create QR codes, there are some innovative options to take your codes to the next level.

What Is QR Code Security?

QR code security is the process of protecting a QR code from being copied, replaced, altered, or misused.

For product packaging, it means making sure the QR code can be trusted as part of a wider authentication process.

Why Is Securing QR Codes Important?

Securing QR codes is important because standard QR codes are easy to copy, replace, or misuse. For brands, this can create several risks:

• Counterfeit products can look legitimate: A copied QR code may still lead to a real brand website or product page, even when it appears on fake packaging.
• Customers can be misled: People may trust a QR code because it looks official, without knowing whether the product or package is genuine.
• Fraudsters can redirect users: A fake QR code can send users to a malicious website, fake payment page, or competitor page.
• Traceability can be confused with authentication: A QR code can help track a product, but it does not automatically prove that the product is authentic.
• Brand trust can be damaged: If fake products use copied or altered QR codes, customers may blame the brand for the poor experience.

Secure QR codes help reduce these risks by giving brands a stronger way to protect customers, support product authentication, and prevent counterfeiters from misusing QR codes on fake packaging.

QR Code Security Threats for Brands

A QR code can appear legitimate even when it is being used on a counterfeit product or linked to a fake website. The table below shows the most common QR code security threats and why they matter for product authentication.

Industries That Need Secure QR Codes

Any industry that uses QR codes on product packaging, labels, or documents can benefit from better QR code security. This is especially true when the QR code is used for product authentication, traceability, warranty checks, or customer information.

Industries that often suffer from counterfeit products markets and benefit from secure QR codes include:

• Pharmaceuticals: Counterfeit medicines can put patients at risk. Secure QR codes help support authentication and protect regulated supply chains.
• Medical devices: Fake or copied labels in counterfeit medical devices create safety and compliance risks. Secure QR codes help verify that the product and packaging are genuine.
• Cosmetics and personal care: Counterfeit beauty products damage customer trust and may contain unsafe or low-quality ingredients.
• Food and beverages: Consumer goods brands need to protect product origin, batch information, and customer trust, especially for premium or regulated goods.
• Wine, spirits, and tobacco: These products are often targeted by counterfeiters because of their high value and strong resale demand.
• Automotive and industrial parts: Fake parts, like counterfeit airplane parts, create safety, warranty, and performance problems. Secure QR codes help verify genuine components.
• Luxury goods: Counterfeiters often copy packaging, labels, and product codes to make fake items look authentic.
• Electronics: Secure QR codes can help protect warranty registration, product information, and genuine accessory verification.

QR Code Traceability vs. Authentication

One of the biggest problems with QR codes, and the reason people are asking how to secure QR code, is that QR codes are made for traceability and not for authentication.

• Traceability connects a product to information, such as its batch number, production date, supply chain data, or product page.
• Authentication verifies whether the physical product, label, or packaging is genuine.

This difference matters because a standard QR code can be copied. A counterfeiter can take a real QR code from genuine packaging and print it on a fake product.

So, on their own, QR codes can deliver a lot of very important content to customers, but they can’t necessarily guarantee that the product or service they are getting is the real deal. At least, not on its own.

Why Are Standard QR Codes Not Secure Enough?

A standard QR code is visible. Anyone can photograph it, copy it, and print it again on fake packaging.

Because it’s so easy to create your own version of a QR code and redirect users who scan it anywhere you choose and tell them anything you like, on their own, QR codes can’t be used as a security feature. They also can’t be relied on to verify the authenticity of any item or document.

However, there are ways to combine standard QR codes with additional security measures so that the code itself can be verified as legitimate, and the link it redirects to is therefore valid by association.

QR Code Security Features: Covert vs. Overt

Brands usually secure QR codes in two ways:

• Overt security features: visible features that customers or inspectors can see, such as holograms.
• Covert security features: hidden features that are difficult to detect, copy, or reproduce without knowing they exist.

Both approaches can improve QR code security, but they do not offer the same level of protection against counterfeiters.

Overt QR Code Security Features

Overt security features are visible to the naked eye. Holograms are a common example.

A hologram can be added to or placed near a QR code to show that the packaging includes a security feature. This can make the QR code harder to imitate than a standard black-and-white code.

However, visibility is also a weakness. Because holograms are easy to see, counterfeiters know exactly what they need to copy. With enough time and resources, visible features can be imitated or simulated.

This is why overt features can help deter counterfeiting, but they may not be enough for strong product authentication.

Covert QR Code Security Features

Covert security features are hidden or nearly invisible. They are designed so counterfeiters cannot easily see, detect, or reproduce them.

One example is adding tiny, precisely positioned marks or holes to the printed QR code. These marks are not obvious to the naked eye, but they can be used to verify whether the printed code is genuine.

This approach makes the QR code more difficult to copy. A counterfeiter may be able to reproduce the visible QR code, but they are less likely to reproduce the hidden security feature correctly.

For product authentication, this is the key advantage of covert security. It helps verify the printed code or the packaging itself, not just the digital information linked to the QR code.

How To Secure QR Codes: QR Code Security Methods Compared

Every QR code security method solves different problems. Some methods protect the digital destination, while others help verify whether the printed code or packaging is genuine. For brand protection, the key question is not only whether the QR code works, but whether it can prove the product itself is authentic. Here’s how different methods compare:

A More Advanced Way to Secure QR Codes: The Cryptoglyph and Secured QR Code Solution

When it comes to solutions to the problem of how to secure a QR code, nothing has come as close as the Cryptoglyph.

This patented technology uses the micro-holes idea, but instead of putting them in the paper, they are printed right into the clear coat of your printed materials. They’re invisible to the naked eye, won’t change the color or design of the piece, and can’t even be felt. In fact, unless you know they’re there, you’ll never know they’re there!

Because Cryptoglyphs are also designed to be a one-of-a-kind authenticator, you’d not only have to know they are there, but also know the exact pattern that was used for a particular code. This makes them almost uncrackable and impossible to easily forge.

Cryptoglyph is a relatively low-cost way to ensure that anything that has your QR code on it is easily verifiable thanks to a dedicated mobile app on your phone. So you can finally use your QR code not only to share information, but also to verify that the product or service is genuine, thanks to the dedicated software. No more fakes, frauds or redirects to competitors’ websites and products!

The QR code can redirect the user to a website where they can download the dedicated mobile app on their device and then perform the verification. The dedicated mobile app can be protected by a username and password in case the software verification of the security feature needs to be restricted to certain users. Of course, one has to make sure that the downloaded App is the official one.

Another possibility would be to use the secured QR code technology. This technology follows the same principle as Cryptoglyph but adds tiny holes into the black color of the QR code.

Secure Your QR Codes with AlpVision

The good news is that while you do need to know the difference between an unsecured and a secured QR code, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to upgrade yours. At AlpVision, we provide high-tech security solutions like Cryptoglyph and Secured QR codes, and it’s a lot easier than you think to change all your QR codes from easily forged standard versions to high-security alternatives.

QR codes are not going anywhere. At least, not anytime soon. We’ve discovered their true worth, and they’re being used on everything from products to business cards to official documents. It’s likely that as we all get used to the ease and convenience they offer, we’ll see them used in more and more places and for more applications.

So don’t wait until all your competitors are rolling out their QR code programs to act! Talk to the experts in secure QR code technology, and find out how you can transform your processes, products, and services by integrating next-generation QR codes. If you’re not sure whether you should go for Cryptoglyph or Secured QR code, download our complimentary whitepaper that describes the differences between the two technologies.

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