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QR code scanning added to Paubox Inbound Email Security

Written by Hoala Greevy | January 9, 2026

We are pleased to announce Paubox Inbound Email Security now scans all QR codes for malicious links. 

What's happening:

  • Customers asked us for a solution for QR code scams being distributed via email.
  • QR code scams typically work like this: An email is sent from a Gmail address, and within the message body is a QR code, a two-dimensional barcode that encodes data (text, URL, ID, etc.) in a grid of black and white squares. If an end user scans the QR code with their phone’s camera, the resulting URL takes them to a phishing site.

How does it work?

  • All images are inspected by the Paubox QR code scanner.  This includes attachments, inline attachments, and even QR codes embedded within other images. 
  • If the resulting URL from a QR code is a phishing site, Paubox automatically quarantines the message, preventing it from reaching the end user’s mailbox.

How much does the QR code scanning feature cost?

  • QR code scanning is available at no extra charge for Paubox Email Suite Plus and Premium customers.

How do I enable QR code scanning?

  • It's enabled by default in Paubox Inbound Email Security. There's nothing to install or configure.