Perception Point has released a cybersecurity solution to combat the rising threat of QR code “quishing” campaigns using image recognition, the company said.In a quishing operation, threat actors trick victims into scanning a QR code using a mobile device. The QR code then directs them to a bogus website that downloads malware or requests sensitive information. Quishers frequently impersonate popular brands to trick victims into revealing their login credentials.Once people hold their phones after scanning the QR code, they are lured into taking additional steps on their personal device such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) that may seem more natural, immediate and less likely to arouse suspicion, Perception said.Ultimately, the hackers try to capitalize on that anti-phishing protection may be weaker on a user’s mobile phone than a desktop or laptop computer.Real-time image recognition identifies and extracts all QR codes from the email body, images, and file attachments (PDF, Office files, etc.). An anti-evasion algorithm dynamically follows and scans URLs embedded within the QR codes. It then unpacks content into smaller units (files and URLs) to overcome evasion techniques and identify hidden malicious payloads. AI detection models include two-step phishing, GenAI decoder, brand spoofing recognition, domain lookalike and URL lexical analysis and more. Anti-malware detection delivers patented CPU-level technology that blocks attacks in seconds at the exploit phase pre-malware release/execution.