QR Code Authentication: Secures and Verifies Account Logins
QR code authentication is another way users can secure and verify their account logins. It allows users easy access to their accounts by simply scanning a QR code using their mobile phones, all while protecting their data.
What distinguishes this feature from traditional authentication methods such as passwords and PINs is its ease of use and security.
It is less prone to hacking, phishing, and keylogging attacks as you’re not typing at all on the website or app. The scanning approach also means you don’t have to worry if you forget your usernames or passwords.
Get started with this QR code and learn more about how it secures and verifies account logins through this blog provided by Free QR Code Generator.
What is a QR code for authentication?
This QR code is a security measure that verifies the user’s identity before logging into their account.
Think of it as an alternative to usernames, passwords, PINs, and biometrics, which are the most common verification methods of a user’s identity as the account owner.
Even some websites and online platforms today have an in-app QR code generation, which creates a specialized that users need to scan using their phones before gaining access to their accounts.
The use of a contactless payment QR code, for example, ensures that payments are made to the correct merchants without having to key in their details and double-check if the receiving number is correct.
However, note that QR codes aren’t a replacement for usernames and passwords; online platforms still need these details to verify that you’re the owner of the account.
How QR code authentication works
Many online platforms use QR codes to grant users desktop or web access to their accounts. It is most common for web messaging apps, including Telegram, WhatsApp, WeChat, and Viber.
Different apps have different steps into how users can verify their accounts. Let’s take a look at Viber as a real-life example.
- Upon opening Viber on your computer for the first time, a page prompt for authentication and instructions is displayed on the screen.
- Open your Viber app on your phone.
- Tap the menu icon on the scan.
- Scroll down to the QR code reader.
- Scan the code on the screen to gain access to your account.
While these steps only apply to Viber alone, almost all platforms share the same sequence. You may try these steps with other apps to confirm.
How to create a QR code using the Free QR Code Generator
There are many QR code solutions that you can use so customers can verify your brand or product’s authenticity.
These are the general steps in creating a QR code:
1. Go to Free QR Code Generator website.
2. Choose any QR code solution you want to use.
3. Provide the required data, then generate the code.
4. Customize your QR code design, then test for errors.
5. Download and share your QR code. You can print it or post it online.
Best use cases of QR code authentication
QR codes can be used to verify user access and grant web access to a website or online platform, but there’s a wide range of applications where it can be used.
Check out these five best use cases below.
Grant online banking and e-commerce access
Banking apps and e-commerce platforms can greatly benefit from QR code authentication. Every activity from these apps can cost you a lot of money, so you must be able to take control of your transactions.
Each time you make a purchase, transfer money, pay bills, or even change information, authentication ensures your identity is verified and your personal data won’t be compromised.
The edge of this feature for online banking and e-commerce is that you won’t have to enter your password manually. It protects and secures your data from being subject to keylogging or data leaks.
QR code verification for products
Purchasing counterfeits can be particularly dangerous for certain products, such as food, medicine, cosmetics, and electronics.
That’s why manufacturers of these products are very particular when advising customers to verify the authenticity of their purchases.
A QR code placed on the product packaging may lead customers to the brand’s website, which verifies its authenticity. To prevent counterfeiting these QR codes, most brands use them as product seals.
Along with an authenticity certificate, scanning the product packaging QR code can also reveal the serial numbers, manufacturing date, country of origin, and other related information.
Improve healthcare data handling and access
Healthcare information and patient data must be handled with utmost confidentiality, with only eligible healthcare professionals able to access these records. Here’s where QR codes in healthcare and QR code verification come in.
QR codes allow better handling and management of electronic health records (EHR), which contain medical history, medications, and physician visits.
To access these records, healthcare professionals must scan the QR code to verify their identities; only eligible medical staff should have access to EHR.
Improving the handling and access of healthcare data and patient information can be used by medical personnel to provide you with care that best matches your health situation.
It is especially crucial when you may need advanced care and emergency surgery, among others.
Ticket QR code for authentication online
Once attendees make a purchase on the ticketing website, they receive an email containing a QR code.
This serves as their e-ticket, which they can present before entering the venue. An usher scans this QR code to verify if their ticket is valid for the event.
These QR codes can only be scanned using a specialized authentication scanner online. Once scanned, they will immediately become invalid to avoid double entry and other fraudulent activities.
Another great benefit of a QR code for events is that it allows the events management team to monitor attendance, track visitor activities, and track the availability of seats.
Create a secure and well-connected enterprise systems
Businesses can use QR codes to allow key employees access to crucial internal systems and applications. Before they can access these systems, they need to scan the QR code authentication to log in to corporate portals.
Subsequently, this corporate portal grants you access to these internal systems and platforms.
Moreover, the QR codes can be used to give each employee specific labels of authorization based on how likely they will use these systems. You can even enhance into a QR code with password, so only specific persons can access it.
For example, the admin department can find, edit, and approve pay increases and adjustments on a separate payroll system.
On the other hand, the finance department can disapprove of these increases and leave comments but can’t edit information in the system, and so can the rest of the department heads.
This way, only employees involved can actually see related information, creating a well-connected secure system. However, management should also practice QR code security as well to protect their employees.
Advantages of using QR codes for secure login verifications
Although creating a basic QR code is free using software, such as Free QR Code Generator, using QR codes as authentication tools can set back the business a few bucks every month.
But why choose this feature instead of the other methods for secure account login verifications? We list four advantages.
Protection against phishing
The nature of QR codes for authentication is that they are generated dynamically and valid only for a limited time. This feature makes it more difficult for your account to be phished or intercepted during the login process.
But one must still be careful of QR code scam because even QR codes can now be used to make fraudulent activities, although not as easily as other logging in method.
Two-factor authentication
QR code authentication adds another layer of security by using two-factor or multi-factor authentication.
The great thing is that multi-factor authentication is designed to offer both superior security but still convenience for users
Scalability using bulk QR codes
Paid versions of most QR code generators offer the option to create bulk QR codes. These bulk QR code features allow businesses to manage their authentication processes easily using advanced enterprise systems.
End-to-end encryption
QR code for authentication practices end-to-end encryption, ensuring that the data inside the QR code remains safe for the lifetime of its validity.
This is one of the highest levels of data security measures developed to fight data breaches.
Unlock more features of QR codes today
QR code authentication is just one of the many applications of QR codes. It offers endless features—even for the free version!
Security and data safety aren’t easy to maintain, but thankfully, QR codes are here to rescue you. You can create your customized QR code for links, emails, Wi-Fi access, events, and more.
If you want to discover more about this QR code feature, it’s high time you make one for yourself. Visit Free QR Code Generator today and get the most out of these digital tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to create a QR code for authentication?
To create a QR code for authentication, you need advanced features such as dynamic QR codes, data analytics, multi-URL QR codes, and more.
To get these features, you may have to pay for a monthly subscription. However, there are still a number of free QR code features that you take advantage of.
Do QR codes prove authenticity?
Of course! It has been used by many brands to help customers distinguish counterfeit products from authentic ones.
A few of the brands that have been doing this practice include Diesel Jeans, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Maggie Yue, and more.
How do I authenticate a QR code?
You only really need a smartphone to authenticate QR codes. Open the camera app, a third-party scanner, or a dedicated QR code for authentication app to scan the QR code.
Once the app reads the QR code, it will show information to provide the authenticity of a certain product.
