Online scams are becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect. Using new techniques, hackers are able to bypass spam filters and trap Internet users. A scam that exploits Google Drive is currently spreading and threatening thousands of users.
Phishing has evolved enormously in recent years, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence, which allows cybercriminals to automate their attacks and make them more convincing. Hackers can now generate more credible fake sites in seconds, personalize their messages and adapt to companies' defenses. Attacks are also much faster: one study showed that a hacker spends on average less than an hour between their first access and taking control of a system. Faced with With these growing threats, platforms like Google are becoming prime targets to bypass mailbox protections.
A scam is currently spreading on Google Drive. Hackers are exploiting the service's collaboration system to send fraudulent invitations. These notifications, which appear to come directly from Google, encourage users to open a document containing a malicious link. Unlike regular spam that is filtered by Gmail, these messages arrive directly in the inbox or as a mobile notification.
A Google Drive scam sends fraudulent links directly to mailboxes
Victims receive a request for collaboration on a document, often written in broken English or Russian. Once opened, the file contains a link to a dubious site that promises earnings, asks for banking information or encourages you to click on other tricky links. Scammers are using mass-created Gmail accounts and regularly changing their documents to evade blocks. This technique is reminiscent of an old scam where phishing links were injected into Google Calendar.
Google says it is working on new protections to limit this type of spam. However, users should remain vigilant. It is recommended to never click on a link from an unexpected document and to ignore suspicious notifications. If in doubt, these phishing attempts can be reported via the company's help center. With the rise of attacks targeting mobile devices, cybersecurity experts remind us that the best defense is caution: if a message seems strange, don't click on it.
Source: Wired
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