QR Codes become more and more important. In some areas they have even replaced the traditional barcode. A QR Code is able to store up to seven thousand characters and therefore is qualified for more complex content, e.g. vCards. Hence nowadays QR Codes can nowadays be found on nearly every advertisement poster and animate the user to scan it with his smartphone. Thus, it is no longer necessary take a hand written note, it is enough to scan the QR Code. Correspondingly, there are already many QR Code scanner apps available in the Google Play Store. It belongs to the Privacy Friendly Apps group developed by the research group SECUSO at Technische Universität Darmstadt. More information can be found an secuso.org/pfa
Our Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App differs with respect to two aspects:
1. The Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App only requires the minimum amount of permissions, namely:
Most of the QR Code scanner apps available in the Google Play Store need several permissions on top of the ones needed: e.g. reading contacts or your call log and retrieving data from the Internet. Most of these requirements are not necessary for the functionality they actually are supposed to provide.
2. The Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App supports its users in detecting malicious links: QR Codes provide new possibilities for an attacker, as QR Codes can contain malicious links, i.e. links to phishing webpages or webpages from which malware would automatically be downloaded. Therefore it is important to carefully check the link before accessing the corresponding webpage. Since it is difficult for the user to spot malicious links, the Privacy friendly QR Scanner App supports the user by highlighting the domain (e.g. in that case for https://www.secuso.org, secuso.org would be highlighted). To avoid not checking the link and in particular the highlighted domain carefully, the app provides information about possible fraud and its users need to confirm that they checked the link and it is trustworthy. Note, the information shown after scanning an URL based QR Code is not customized for every URL. Hence, it should be considered as an advice for the user how to behave in general.
The Privacy Friendly QR Scanner App supports most of the usual qr code types. Bar codes and other widely used codes are also supported.
The app belongs to the group of privacy friendly apps, that are developed by the SECUSO research group. More information can be found at https://secuso.org/pfa
You can reach us via
Twitter - @SECUSOResearch https://twitter.com/secusoresearch
Mastodon - @SECUSO_Research@bawü.social https://xn--baw-joa.social/@SECUSO_Research/
Job opening - https://secuso.aifb.kit.edu/english/Job_Offers_1557.php
Versions
Although APK downloads are available below to give you the choice, you should be aware that by installing that way you will not receive update notifications and it's a less secure way to download. We recommend that you install the F-Droid client and use that.
Download F-Droid
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This version requires Android 4.2 or newer.
It is built and signed by F-Droid, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
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take pictures and videos
This app can take pictures and record videos using the camera while the app is in use.
-
read the contents of your shared storage
Allows the app to read the contents of your shared storage.
(9.0)
-
modify or delete the contents of your shared storage
Allows the app to write the contents of your shared storage.
(9.0)
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prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
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view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
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run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
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run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
Download APK
5 MiB
PGP Signature
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Build Log
-
This version requires Android 4.2 or newer.
It is built and signed by F-Droid, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
take pictures and videos
This app can take pictures and record videos using the camera while the app is in use.
-
read the contents of your shared storage
Allows the app to read the contents of your shared storage.
(9.0)
-
modify or delete the contents of your shared storage
Allows the app to write the contents of your shared storage.
(9.0)
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
Download APK
5 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
-
This version requires Android 4.2 or newer.
It is built and signed by F-Droid, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.
Permissions
-
take pictures and videos
This app can take pictures and record videos using the camera while the app is in use.
-
read the contents of your shared storage
Allows the app to read the contents of your shared storage.
(9.0)
-
modify or delete the contents of your shared storage
Allows the app to write the contents of your shared storage.
(9.0)
-
prevent phone from sleeping
Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.
-
view network connections
Allows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.
-
run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.
-
run foreground service
Allows the app to make use of foreground services.
Download APK
5 MiB
PGP Signature
|
Build Log
