Hey there, have you heard about the latest phishing attack using Google Calendar to slip past security measures? It’s a pretty sneaky tactic that cyber attackers are using to target companies from various industries in a short amount of time.
Uncovering the Google Calendar Phishing Scheme
I came across a fascinating article by Check Point Research that sheds light on a new phishing campaign making the rounds. This devious scheme leverages Google Calendar to sidestep anti-spam filters and land right in unsuspecting users’ inboxes.
The modus operandi of this attack involves sending phishing emails with shady Google Calendar invites and links to Google Forms or Drawings. By using legitimate Calendar domains, these emails manage to dodge spam filters and catch users off guard.
Once a user falls for the bait and clicks on the links, they are taken to a fake reCAPTCHA page before being redirected to a bogus website posing as a legitimate service like Bitcoin support or crypto mining. Here, users are tricked into entering sensitive financial information that could be exploited for nefarious purposes.
The researchers have outlined the intricacies of this attack in their report.
Protecting Against Phishing Attacks
While this phishing ploy may seem sophisticated, staying vigilant can help you steer clear of such threats. It’s crucial to only interact with emails from trusted sources, verify the authenticity of email content through other channels, and keep your systems updated with the latest security patches.
Additionally, implementing robust security measures like cautioning against third-party apps, using multi-factor authentication, and deploying advanced email security solutions can fortify your defense against cyber threats.
In response to this specific campaign, Google recommends enabling the “known senders” feature in Google Calendar.
“We recommend users enable the ‘known senders’ setting in Google Calendar. This setting helps defend against this type of phishing by alerting the user when they receive an invitation from someone not in their contact list and/or they have not interacted with from their email address in the past.”
What are your thoughts on this? Feel free to share in the comments below.
