A Safer QR Code Scanner for Android

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[this post is from Dennis Houseknecht, a Nerd in Virginia, USA]

QR codes are popping up everywhere – and they are very convenient. Not surprisingly, they are also an opportunity to send users to malicious websites.
This is a significant risk, especially for Android users. Whether you love and Android or “not-so-much”, there is not doubt that the wide-open nature of the platform makes is more susceptible to attacks.
Norton recently released a new free scanner that helps mitigate the risk. It checks the URL first, even if it is obfuscated behind a shortened version. An IOS version will be coming soon.
“If you’re like us you are seeing QR codes everywhere these days”, explains Symantec’s website. “They’re on TV, on the subway, on your mail. There’s a good reason — they make it easy to get more information using your mobile phone or tablet. But the problem is that a QR code can point to a website, and it’s often impossible to tell if the website is safe.”
This will not eliminate all risk, but every little bit helps.
Note: The QR code above links to the Android marketplace application page.

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