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Google's latest attempt to fight phishing: the firm states that it will ban connections using built-in browsers to remove "middlemen"
- In June, Gmail will ask users to connect via a dedicated mobile browser.
- This measure aims to prevent harmful phishing scams targeting identification information.
- Phishing shipments have become increasingly complex over the years
- Google has released a host of new security features in recent months
Google is trying to cut off the "middleman" by banning connections from embedded browsers – a move that will add an extra layer of cybersecurity.
According to the company, the change will begin in June and prevent connections that are not made in a dedicated web browser such as Safari, Chrome or Firefox.
While many applications use built-in browsers as a convenience, allowing users to stay in an app to capture their credentials instead of having to switch to a dedicated mobile browser, Google said that this feature put users at unnecessary risk.
Google has strengthened a number of security features to protect its users against phishing and more. According to the company, the change will begin in June and prevent connections that are not made in a dedicated web browser such as Safari, Chrome or Firefox.
The company is concerned about a type of phishing scam called "man in the middle".
"A form of phishing, known as the" middle man "(MITM), is hard to detect when an integrated browser framework (…) or other platform of 39, automation is used for authentication, "reads in a blog.
"MITM intercepts communications between a user and Google in real time to gather user identification information (including the second factor in some cases) and connect."
Because Google can not tell the difference between a person trying to phish an account and the legitimate owner, he decided to completely remove the embedded connections, said the company.
Similarly, Google has also introduced "secure browsing" features that warn users when they are browsing a potentially unsafe website and notification features that allow users to know when their account is connected to a new device.
With the increase in the use of mobile applications and connectivity, phishing scams have spread rapidly over the Internet in recent years.
Many involving the use of email have also become increasingly sophisticated.
In 2017, a particularly effective attack against Gmail users was orchestrated by scammers who, having access to a victim's email account, were able to imitate that person in order to infect computers from contacts of first victims.
Hackers have become more sophisticated in their attempts to glean critical information about passwords and credentials. Stock image
Disguised as the first victim, the scammers would send a fake Google Doc containing a phishing link to one or more of their contacts using the victim's email address.
If it were open, the second victim would be sent on a fake Google login page, where the fraudsters would reap the victim's two identification information.
The phishing expedition has compromised the accounts of at least 1 million Gmail accounts according to Forbes.
The removal of built-in connections follows a host of new security features announced by Google this month, which specifically target phishing and seek to educate about "best practices."
DOES YOUR GMAIL SEND SPAM EMAILS?
A new spam attack is pushing a wave of Gmail users to think that their account has been hacked.
Many users reported that their inbox was flooded with spam called "growth supplements".
However, in a strange twist, the ads seem to have been sent from their own accounts.
The easiest way to check if you are being scammed is to check your "sent" file.
Spammers have found a way around Gmail's spam filters by using forged headers that resemble the email addresses of Gmail users.
From there, check if e-mails are listed as being sent via "via telus.com".
If you find any, be sure to mark them as "spam" so that they appear in the designated folder.
You can also report an email as a phishing scam by clicking the drop-down menu, indicated by an arrow, in the right corner.
Clicking on it will allow you to report an email as a phishing attempt.
Google said that the latest spam attack had not compromised any user account. There is therefore no reason to believe that your Gmail account has been hacked.
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