Mimecast Limited, an advanced email and collaboration security company, has declared an improvement in Quick Response (QR) code protections to better cater customers.
Mimecast Email Security reengineers to deeply scan URLs linked with QR codes, promptly blocking any identified malicious content upon inspection.

In 2023, ‘quishing’ QR code attacks surged, with no signs of slowing in 2024. Attackers use QR codes in emails for credential theft. Detecting threats is challenging due to QR code’s common use in legitimate activities.
According to Mimecast’s The State of Email Security 2023 Report, 92% of South African companies have been targeted by email-based attacks, with 68% experiencing an increase in email-based threats over the same period. With ‘quishing’ on the rise globally, South African companies are likely to be targeted through this attack vector. The Global Threat Intelligence Report revealed a 22% increase in overall attacks with malicious links in Q3 of 2023 compared to Q2. The report highlighted the widespread use of inserting QR codes into email bodies to deliver malicious links by cybercriminals and threat actors.
Mimecast Email Security now identifies and scans QR codes in emails, addressing security concerns through enhanced product features. The improved ‘quishing’ protection aims to help keep employee inboxes safe, further enabling customer organizations to work protected.
Brian Pinnock, VP of Sales Engineering, emphasized the importance of addressing this growing attack vector, particularly for South African companies. He stated, “Operating in one of the most advanced economies in Africa and the Global South, South African companies are prime targets by cyber threat actors. With collaboration at the heart of business operations, nearly 95% of companies agree that they need stronger protection than what comes with popular collaboration tools. The rise of QR code attacks is adding an additional layer of threat for local organizations.”