![]() ![]() ![]() Since the email notification is the result of a genuine comment on an actual Google Doc, it is almost impossible for spam filters to detect the malicious nature of the email.The user can’t check whether the email came from their colleague/friend/acquaintance (E.g., a particular user with the address or or an impersonating online threat actor. It makes it very convenient for attackers to impersonate a genuine entity or individual, perhaps someone known to the victim. The Google Docs notification doesn’t display the sender’s email address it only mentions the username.There are multiple reasons which make exploiting the Google Docs vulnerability so easy, as listed below: How Are Attackers Exploiting The Vulnerability So Easily?Īdversaries can evade detection in this threat even if users implement the necessary anti-phishing solutions. With Outlook users as the prime targets, the attackers have created over 100 fake email IDs to send these counterfeit comments with malicious links to over 500 inboxes.While Google claimed to have released some email phishing prevention measures to rectify the issue, the vulnerability is still being extensively exploited.In October 2021, cybersecurity experts reported adversaries were sending malicious URLs to unsuspecting G Suite users through the commenting feature in Google apps like Google Docs and Google Slides.The following is the summary of information since the start of the threat and its subsequent progress. Avanan reports that attackers exploit this vulnerability in Google Docs and other G Suite products like Google Sheets and Google Slides to target Outlook users and steal their personally identifiable information (PII). As mentioned earlier, since Google Doc notifications are on the Allow List of Gmail, spam filters cannot detect these emails, and the attackers can successfully land the victim’s inbox. Merely clicking on these embedded links lead users to phishing sites that extract their confidential information.Ĭybersecurity researcher at Avanan, Jeremy Fuchs, recently reported the vulnerability in the Comment feature of Google Docs, allowing an attacker to email a user by tagging them in a comment on any random Google Doc document. The user is not even required to open Google Docs as they can view the entire comment (with all its embedded links) in the notification email. The attackers could use the name of people/organizations known to the victim to send out spam emails. People open an email instantly when the notification comes from Google Docs and has a comment with their name tagged on it. Since Google Docs is widely used for professional and educational purposes, the use of this application to con users has proved effective. Thus, the chances of these spam emails getting detected or suspected are rare, making these attacks even more dangerous. Moreover, only the commenter’s name will be mentioned in the notification and not their full email address, making the user think it is a genuine contact. Since the email notification comes directly from Google, it is trusted and not blocked. Clicking on the links will take the user to a phishing site. Google sends a notification by email to the user wherein the comment is displayed, including its text and all embedded malicious links. They comment on a Google document tagging a user with an sign. Threat actors exploit an unpatched Google Doc vulnerability to send out legitimate-looking emails to users. Here are the details about the breach and some recommendations on how to stop phishing emails. ![]() In a recent incident, cyber adversaries have targeted G Suite product users, exploiting a vulnerability in the ‘Comment’ option available in Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. If someone were to exploit a vulnerability in this famous collaborative work and educational platform, the consequences would affect millions. ![]() In the 2017 Google I/O Conference, the organization mentioned that Google Drive alone has over 800 million daily users, and this figure is only increasing. According to a recent Axios report, over 2 million monthly active users use G Suite products. ![]()
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