Google has blocked 1.6 million phishing emails since May 2021 report revealed by Google’s Threat Analysis Group. These emails have reportedly been a part of a malware marketing campaign geared toward stealing YouTube accounts and selling cryptocurrency schemes.
Google has decreased the quantity of associated phishing emails on Gmail by 99.6 %, based on particulars reported by Google’s Threat Analysis Group in collaboration with YouTube, Gmail, Trust & Safety, Cybercrime Investigation Group and Safe Browsing groups.
“We blocked 1.6M messages for the target, displayed 62K Safe Browsing phishing page warnings, blocked 2.4K files and successfully restored 4K accounts,” Google stated in a weblog submit.
According to the report, these accountable have been concerned in spreading propaganda campaigns, government-backed hacking and financially motivated abuse.
“Since the end of 2019, our team has intercepted financially motivated phishing campaigns targeting YouTubers with cookie theft malware,” the corporate stated.
“The actors behind this campaign, which we attribute to a group of hackers recruited in a Russian-speaking forum, are using fake collaboration opportunities (usually through anti-virus software, VPNs, music players, photo editing or online games). tempt your target with a demo). ), hijack their channel, then either sell it to the highest bidder or use it to broadcast a cryptocurrency scam.”
In the weblog submit, the corporate additionally shared examples of varied ways, methods and processes (TTPs) it makes use of to lure customers. Additionally, Google additionally supplied steering on how customers can additional defend themselves.
Cookie theft, often known as a “pass-the-cookie attack”, is a session hijacking method that permits hackers to entry person accounts with session cookies saved within the browser.
The firm stated the hijacking expertise has been round for many years, however its return as a high safety menace may be attributed to the widespread adoption of multi-factor authentication (MFA), which makes it troublesome to abuse and assault attackers. Shifts the main target to social engineering technique, the corporate stated. .
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
