Cybercriminals are exploiting Google Calendar and Gmail to execute sophisticated phishing attacks, deceiving users into divulging personal and financial information.
Attack Methodology:
- Spoofed Invitations: Attackers send fraudulent calendar invites or emails that appear to originate from legitimate sources, including known contacts.
- Malicious Links: These invites contain links leading to counterfeit websites, such as fake cryptocurrency platforms, designed to harvest sensitive data.
- Bypassing Security Filters: By manipulating email headers and utilizing genuine Google services like Calendar and Drawings, attackers evade traditional spam and phishing filters.
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Protective Measures:
To safeguard against these threats, consider adjusting your Google Calendar settings:
- Access Settings: Open Google Calendar and click on the gear icon to access Settings.
- Event Settings: Navigate to Event Settings.
- Modify Invitation Preferences:
- Add Invitations to My Calendar: Set this to “Only if the sender is known”. This ensures that only invitations from contacts or previously interacted email addresses are automatically added to your calendar.
- Automatically Add Events from Gmail: Uncheck this option to prevent events from being added to your calendar without your consent.
Implementing these settings can help reduce the risk of falling victim to such phishing attacks.
Additional Recommendations:
- Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Invites: Scrutinize unexpected calendar invitations or emails, especially those containing links or requests for personal information.
- Verify Sender Authenticity: Confirm that the sender’s email address is legitimate and corresponds to known contacts.
- Avoid Clicking Suspicious Links: Refrain from clicking on links within dubious invitations or emails. Instead, navigate to official websites directly through your browser.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on your Google account to add an extra layer of security.
- Maintain Updated Security Software: Ensure your devices have the latest antivirus and anti-malware solutions installed and updated.
By staying vigilant and adjusting your settings, you can enhance your security against these evolving phishing tactics.
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