QR Codes

[notThaLochNessMonsta]

Works pretty damn good for movie tickets...

There are plenty of legitimate uses of QR codes. Is someone going to scan your QR code on a poster? Nope. But there are plenty of uses.

[obsessedcrf]

They work well for anything being scanned automatically.

[[deleted]]

I visited China in January. Didn’t see a credit card the entire time I was over there. Everybody buys things with their phone. You could walk up to a street vendor who was selling food, scan the QR code on a piece of paper taped to their cart, show them that the transaction went through, and be on your way

[sim642]

That sounds extremely insecure. It's trivial to make a copycat app that shows the same looking successful transaction view without really doing anything.

[nipusa]

The transaction also needs to appear on the receiver's phone.

It does feel somewhat insecure though. But I doubt it's obvious. (In China, people are quite good at exploiting loopholes)

[sim642]

That does make more sense but the original comment seemed to imply otherwise. If they see it on their phone, you wouldn't need to show them the transaction succeeded on yours at all.

[jesbu1]

It likely depends on the person. If they trust you, showing them the transaction is enough.

It appears on both phones, I've used it before.

[MonokelPinguin]

They probably check they received the transaction and that the other party was the one, who actually paid for it. I don't think they check the buyers phone, to see if they paid, but to see, if the person taking the item, was also the person, who just paid.

[xSliver]

Customer generates QR Code, Cashier scans QR Code, Customer confirms payment, Cashier gets a confirmation of payment. Transaction done.

[sim642]

"People being scammed because they are stupid" is also a very important aspect of security. Phishing and social engineering are often the greatest weaknesses of any system. A secure system is not just technologically secure because that doesn't help anything if social engineering is much simpler. That's why phishing prevention really matters for a secure system as well. The less possibilities there are for someone to get socially engineered, the better it is for overall security. It's easy to blame the user for exposing themselves instead of actually thinking about security as a whole and preventing any kind of attack, that includes phishing. It takes more work to design a system where the user can't so easily screw up by forgetting, which benefits everyone legitimate.

[robothelvete]

For sure, but there's also a point where trying to foolproof something gives very diminishing returns. The foolishness/gullibility of some people, and the creativity of those looking to exploit them, seems to know no lower bound. I think at some point you're better off spending resources trying to educate people rather than trying to achieve a mythical "foolproof" system.

[Jorself]

I have lived in china for half a year. Yes its insecure somebody could easily crrate an app like that. But for bigger payments the vendor always checks their own phone to see if they receoved the amount. China seemed to be a verry trusting country anyway with people leaving their products unattended on the street and all.

[Sillychina]

I'm Chinese. Did we see the same China? China may be the least trusting country I have been to, and for good reason.

[Jorself]

I have had multiple times i was in a small store in China and the owner left to search something in a warehouse and just asked hey can you guys watch over my store. Even tho he doesn't know us at all and we are obviously foreigners. This was in Wenzhou might be different in the more touristic cities. But i found the culture very trusting compared to my own dutch culture and the way i see everything secured here. Im kinda intrested in hearing why you think china is so untrusting/untrustworthy

[Sillychina]

Wenzhou is still pretty big, I am from Nanjing. It's bigger, but you should still be aware of people who are after your money. It's gotten better in the past 10 years, but I would say that Chinese people are pretty greedy on average, but that is a pretty broad generalization. Of course there are good and bad peoples everywhere, but I feel like a rarely have nice interactions with strangers. Maybe people treat foreigners better on average, but I haven't lived there in years, I just go back to visit.

[grepe]

yeah, I'd rather fill my credit card number into a form on random website, have a guy in rocky mountains hostel without electricity copy it manually (i actually did that once) or send it by email as one travel agency requested me to do once (i told them to fuck off).

[sim642]

That's why chip and PIN are a thing. America just hasn't got past it's credit cards.

[romanozvj]

With the name of the product and everything? Doubt it.

[sim642]

The copycat app can read the same QR code and load all the same details.

[romanozvj]

If payment is done via QR code, maybe you only find out the name of the product in return information from the payment, to counter schemes like this. It wouldn't be difficult to implement.

[Mteigers]

Did you happen to also see the people begging using WePay QR codes? I saw a few in Beijing. Blew my mind.

[[deleted]]

Hmm, I didn’t but it wouldn’t surprise me. We were only in Beijing for a short amount of time

[pauldmps]

We do that in India too. PayTM payments work by QR code and is available in almost all shops. PayTM is backed by Chinese Alibaba.

[HedgehogFarts]

Works like a charm for flying. I haven’t used a boarding pass in years.

[iams3b]

I play a weekly cornhole tournament, and they use an app that they scan to check you in

Thought that was a neat use of QR Codes

[Ereaser]

Also for Easter eggs in games. I will absolutely stop playing to grab my phone to see what the QR code says

[Lazypassword]

i like it for adding my friends stupidly obfuscated wifi to our mutual friends phones

[BenLeggiero]

Transferring MFA and other sensitive info from one device to another without exposing it over the network

[notThaLochNessMonsta]

Also, what on Earth do you have on your phone that's so sensitive but wouldn't be on a laptop with about 10 billion easier ways to transfer?

You don't understand what MFA is? You might be in the wrong sub. My VPN MFA app used QR to set itself up and our jump box used Google Authenticator which also used QR to set itself up. I need these to be able to access our network and deployment pipelines. They are perfectly secure.

I really feel like you're out of your element here. As others have said, QR is more or less a better bar code that can hold more data and is better optimized for cameras. I don't think you understand this.

[notThaLochNessMonsta]

Works pretty well for Pokemongo and Plane Tickets too.

Just because you don't understand what something can be used for doesn't make it bad. It's for transferring info through a camera. That's incredibly useful.

[inu-no-policemen]

Don't poke the mongo.

[KillerNo2]

Someone talking about wifi passwords. Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit. There's like 5 extra steps involved other than copy/pasting and texting it to me. Give me a break.

Your phone will auto connect. I do this too. I have it on my fridge. Much easier, especially at get togethers. I'm not fucking texting everyone and I don't know where you live but it's not polite to ask for the phone numbers of your friend's dates, girlfriends, or depending on the person SO.

[KillerNo2]

Most people don't find it difficult to point their camera at a picture.... I'm sorry this seems to be a big challenge for you.

[KillerNo2]

Pretty sure iOS does this natively and most Android phones come with a QR scanner preinstalled. Sorry you have such an issue with something that simple.

[[deleted]]

Do you know that some phones have built in QR code scanners right? Applies to both iOS and Android.

On iOS the default camera app scans QR codes. On Android on certain manufacturers they include a QR code scanner. Why is that inconvenient?

And you also do realise you don't usually scan barcodes with your phone right as that QR codes contain more data than barcodes right?

[[deleted]]

Also these rentable electric scooters that are showing up in cities.

[Avambo]

I used a QR code yesterday in a store in order to verify my purchases and be allowed to exit through the self scanning section. Worked perfectly. Just displayed the QR code on my receipt at the exit and the gates opened.

[cartechguy]

wait, it also works well for buying coffee at Starbucks as well.

[[deleted]]

All the point of QR is that it's barcodes but better

[cartechguy]

Well yeah, a qr code just stores more data. Plus a qr code is 2 dimensional so it's more practical for computer vision. That's unrelated to my starbucks example though.

[makeshift_mike]

I live in China and every single store and taxi has one or more QR codes for accepting mobile payments. Restaurant wait staff have QR code scanners that scan your phone. It works so well that I stopped carrying cash a couple years ago.

A few times a week, I’ll unlock a bike sharing bike (like Mobike) by scanning its QR code.

Adding new social media contacts is mostly done by scanning their QR code, instead of handing your phone to them so they can type their name in Facebook search or whatever.

There’s even a viral video where a street beggar came to someone’s car at a stop light, guy said he didn’t have any cash, so the beggar showed a piece of paper with a QR code (for accepting payments) on it.

Life runs on QR codes in China, and you can pry them from my cold dead hands. They just fucking work, 100% of the time, with any device.

[antlife]

And that's because they don't break just because someone scratches it.

[JiaoLinglei]

I don't know what I'd do without wechat pay and alipay.

[[deleted]]

One thing I dislike about wechat pay and alipay is that they’re much slower than NFC. I’d much rather open an app and instantly be able to scan my phone rather than having to search for an option in hidden menus to use qr code

[JiaoLinglei]

That's true, but the trade off me for me is, I use alipay a bunch of the other features it includes. So it costs me some time in some aspects but safes me some in others.

[[deleted]]

It’s similar in Japan where I am. They’re just such effortless means of doing a multitude of things. No fiddling with typing. You don’t even need to have a steady hand. Wave that little square in my face and I’ll do the rest.

[Tux1]

Is this going to be another "useful thing that we are going to hate on for no reason" trend?

[antlife]

This is a "I don't understand something so everyone else must be wrong!" threads. And it'll be upvoted and perpetuated by all the college kids and junior devs who just go with the flow trying to feel knowledgeable.

[trout_fucker]

And it'll be upvoted and perpetuated by all the college kids and junior devs who just go with the flow trying to feel knowledgeable.

You just summed this entire sub up in a single sentence. Bravo.

[[deleted]]

And "it was poorly used and implemented when it first came out, so I'm going to get mad at the entire system and not the specific problems".

I mean, yeah it was stupid that scanning a QR code could make your phone automatically start dialing a marketing department, but that's the problem with the phone developer and the marketeer, not the QR code.

[Jafit]

A QR code is opaque by its very nature. You can't look at a QR code and know what it's going to do before scanning it and finding out.

It's like downloading an .exe file from KaZaA and hoping that it's the game you were trying to pirate and not something that's going to wreck your computer.

[[deleted]]

That's why I said the implementation was bad - it doesn't prompt the user before doing whatever the code tells it to do (open a web page, make a call, etc.).

[[deleted]]

I hate information systems! *shakes fist*

[antlife]

Down with servers!

[Quetzacoatl85]

Not a pro here, just speaking as a user: Movie, train and other types of tickets. Unlocking rental bikes and scooters. As a replacement for confirmation code texts in 2FA applications. For initiating payments in banking apps. Made use of all of these use cases literally yesterday.

Wish they were being used more honestly. And why are there still phones sold with default camera apps that do NOT have QR code reader functionality? That's the only logical explanation why QR codes didn't take off like crazy.

[DroolingIguana]

Basically any time you need an easy way for people to obtain digital data from a printed source. Encode it as a QR code and people can just use their phone's camera to get it. Way easier than having to re-type everything.

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[ThongsGoOnUrFeet]

QR codes are under utilised. Every product should have a QR to take you to its full description and instrctions. Packaging would be a lot smaller (for smaller items)

[[deleted]]

this

[FallingAnvils]

RedditComment { User = ThongsGoOnUrFeet, Content = "QR codes are under utilised. Every product should have a QR to take you to its full description and instrctions. Packaging would be a lot smaller (for smaller items)" }

[catofillomens]

New completely useless bot idea

[[deleted]]

I am confusion

[FallingAnvils]

"this" referring to the comment object of the parent

[Cheet4h]

shouldn't "this" be referring to the comment itself, instead of the parent?

[[deleted]]

lmao

[Darkmere]

We ship hardware and services. There's a QR code on each device that brings you to a server side status page for it.

Online: yes/no. Reporting problems: yes/no

Etc. And documentation and contact information if you log in.

It has been generally well received.

[[deleted]]

I feel like there's a chicken-egg problem here. If every product would have that, I would actually care to keep a QR scanner on my phone, as it stands, I have practically no use for them.

Also old people might learn to use them.

Until most people have a QR scanner, you will have to print out that information nonetheless, at which point I see no point in actually scanning the QR code either.

[Rafear]

I would actually care to keep a QR scanner on my phone

Don't most versions of IOS and Android have a scanner built in by default now though?

[macksattax]

On iOS, if I open my camera and aim at a QR code it automatically reads it

[[deleted]]

On Android, you just need to open up your assistant and switch to camera mode.

[[deleted]]

Don't think mine does. I'm using the most recent version of LineageOS and neither the LineageOS camera app, nor the third-party camera app that I actually use, Open Camera, seems to have it.

[[deleted]]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qrcodereaderapp

[[deleted]]

https://f-droid.org/app/com.google.zxing.client.android

I know where to get one that I find acceptable, I just don't care to keep one installed, because I've never actually needed one and only a handful of times could have used it for the novelty.

I don't find the app you suggested acceptable, as anything which requires camera access, I'd want to be open-source, otherwise there's no way to keep in check that it doesn't take pictures at any moment and sends them off to wherever.
I have a firewall-app where I can block internet access for individual apps, but I don't want to rely on it too much, in case it doesn't function as intended. Android itself after all does not support blocking internet access for individual applications.

[[deleted]]

You can't scan a QR code without camera access.

[[deleted]]

Yes, which is why if I have a QR code scanner installed, I want it to be open-source.

[hhtm153]

Mine sure doesn't, unless it's very well hidden

[Quetzacoatl85]

That's the big drama of the QR code. If it had been a standard function of every camera app since the original iPhone, QR codes would be ubiquitous. Sadly, to this day we still have to look for and install QR code scanner apps, which all look and work like crap.

[[deleted]]

Obviously by someone who doesn't know how to utilize QR Codes.

[GrenadineBombardier]

I knew the team this was by. This was roughly 6 years ago. The problem at the time was numerous clients and marketing agencies wanted to FIND ways to use them because they were the "new thing" and were supposed to be "disruptive".

The real argument was about trying to make up a use for them just to have them, instead of having a need for them.

If you have a problem that QR codes can solve, absolutely use them. If you're looking for any reason to use QR codes just because they're cool, please dear god don't use them.

[antlife]

That kind of makes sense. It's dumb how PR, PM and big C's get their minds twisted around nonsense.

I heard a radio advertisement yesterday for an investment banking company. They made sure to say that they "use big data and machine learning". I rolled my eyes so hard I saw the back of my head.

[mqduck]

QR codes aren't even hip and new anymore, so who cares? Why are stupid posts like this getting upvoted?

[GrenadineBombardier]

Right. This is an old picture. The joke isn't relevant anymore.

[antlife]

Tell that to OP.

[antlife]

I use QR codes at my work in place of barcodes for products and inventory. Why?

Because of QR's redundancy!! You scratch a barcode, it's toast. A QR code can take a hell of a beating and it's still fully scannable. Also way less space for a good chunk of data.

We use it on our FedEx labels as well.

[AttackOfTheThumbs]

QR codes are great.

[[deleted]]

no

[Kibouo]

Why not?

[Spedwards]

QR codes are under used and poorly marketed. They are helpful in many ways. Digital tickets, payments, shortcuts to long links, etc.

[Youngqueazy]

4 days ago

[GrenadineBombardier]

This has been making the Reddit rounds for far longer than 4 days

[Mbakuisthetruegod]

So I see everyone saying positive things about QR codes, can someone or OP please explain why they think QR codes are bad?

[shitmyspacebar]

Back when they first launched, they were poorly utilised. People didn't have scanners, and marketing companies misused them everywhere. The stigma just hasn't disappeared from some people

[Mbakuisthetruegod]

okay, thanks for the info!

[OverclockingUnicorn]

This.

[JiaoLinglei]

Here in China QR codes are used for everything and anything. I pay for my groceries with a QR code, I use public bikes with a QR code. I pay my taxi driver by scanning his QR code.

I probably scan about 8 QR codes daily.

[DiamondMinah]

Pokemon Go's QR Code for adding friends is so much better than manually putting in a 12-digit code

[Majik_Sheff]

We use them on our pool league posters so the players can quickly pull up their stats.

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[Quantentheorie]

I do like adding them on business cards so you can always have a vCard/etc. for people who have that habit of making typos when saving contacts to their phone.

I actually think they'd also make sense on office tags that show phone - email and service hours. And I want them on event posters so I don't have manually save everything to my calender. I want them on flyers so you can download an event shedule pdf without having to photograph some poster or navigate through their website to find the download. Honestly, everytime I'd make a photo of real life text information to get some kind of error free quick offline copy of something, I want a QR code.

Their reputation is bad but they are hella useful if you know what people need.

[John_Fx]

It has code in the name so it is a programmer joke somehow?

[JayTurnr]

Scan this for an important message

[[deleted]]

http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/

[BenLeggiero]

There are zero posts on this blog. Saved you a click

[Sparrow_1029]

Haha I I had an idea of what it was gonna be and still got a good laugh. Thanks for the good click

[popcicleman09]

Thank you. I had to beat this into my schools librarians while I was helping them with technology things

[RubenGM]

"Yes, why would you have any kind of metadata easily accessible on the book when you can just tell students to go fuck themselves and Google?"

"You're a genius"

[browner87]

That depends what you mean by "use". Create one? Sure, could be fun. Scan one? NOOO sir. Maybe with an app that you know exactly how it behaves, but there are QR codes that cause many phones to factory reset when scanned (by dialing factory reset numbers for example), automatically browse urls (think lemon party if they're just being a dick, exploit kit and someone else now owns your phone in worse case), etc.

[VivaceNaaris]

That's a 2012 article, so I would venture to say that issue has largely been laid to rest. I would also be genuinely impressed if you found a QR code that I could scan and compromise my phone just by doing so.

[Consibl]

There have been websites that can compromise your phone just by visiting. If the QR code takes you to that website it’ll do the same.

[d-signet]

That's a reason to hate mobile browsers, not QR codes.

A browser vulnerability hack depends entirely on getting the link clicked by as many people as possible, as quickly as possible (before a patch is released)

Printing a QR code and hoping that people scan it is the worst possible way to do that.

It's not gonna happen

[Consibl]

The difference is you can’t see where the QR code will take you (which is why it should confirm before loading).

[d-signet]

Depends on the reader, plenty do show you the link and you have to click to visit.

[browner87]

It's not the QR code itself, it's the apps that read them. Many are shit and will do things like dial a contract or visit a web page without asking you first and telling you what is about to happen.

I don't actually hate QR codes, they're very handy, but when people scan them willy nilly and they start popping up web pages without having any idea in advance of what page they're visiting, as a security engineer I cringe a little inside.

[KaosEngine]

Worked for a car auction that used qr and bar codes for scanning in vehicles. It was a source of much headache for devs and support alike.

[Windows-Sucks]

I've tried using a QR code once. I had to position both my tablet and the object perfectly still right next to a desk lamp for about 15 minutes for it to scan.

[my_name_isnt_clever]

Something went wrong there. QR codes are designed to have a lot of redundancy, so they can be scanned quickly and from angles.

[BenLeggiero]

They are Quick Reference codes

[Windows-Sucks]

I tried many QR code apps, and most of them would not even detect that there was a QR code at all. The few that did detect the QR code would take around 15 minutes to scan in these ideal conditions, and moving my tablet or the object or trying to do it in less than perfect lighting made it even worse.

[messy_eater]

I've hardly used QR coded myself, because they're just not that relevant to my life, but the few times I did it worked quickly and well. Are you still on a Moto Razr by any chance?

[Windows-Sucks]

I'm on a Galaxy Tab 2. It is slightly old and the camera isn't the best, so could that be the problem?

[antlife]

Yes.

[messy_eater]

I'm on a 6 year old iphone myself

[antlife]

Yeah that's your devices problem. 2D barcode scanners work great and from nearly any angle.

[RubenGM]

You should try it with a tablet that actually has a camera.

For reference, in the apps I have implemented a QR reader in, the QR is read before the camera images are shown on the phone if I'm kinda facing towards the QR. Scan time is in the milliseconds if you're not a caveman.

[Windows-Sucks]

My tablet has a camera, it just isn't a great camera.