With so much happening on the internet these days, we are always exposed to some risk or another. Every time we sign in to our account, there is at least one email in our inbox that looks suspicious. While most of us are well informed and refrain from touching those links, there are some who will just blindly follow the instructions and get victimized by scammers.
Phishing Emails with “Documents” Subject Line
Recently, a new trick has hit the web space which is yet another phishing scam that takes benefit of the Google docs. The worst thing is that you cannot identify this fake website from the real one as it uses the same URL (i.e. google.com and its SSL encryption). All you can do to avoid being scammed is to be vigilant of suspicious looking emails requesting your sign-in details. Like all the phishing scams on the internet, this one too originates with a seemingly innocuous email. This email will hit your account with a “Documents” subject line and a link that takes you to Google docs. When you click the link, it shows you are going to Google.com which is obviously a fake link but needs your Google log in credentials. The moment you feed in your information, you have been hacked.
Since the fake page is hosted on the Google server and uses its SSL, it looks convincingly genuine. Once you log in to that page, your details are sent via PHP script on a server that has already been compromised. The users that are hit by these reckless emails are generally the ones who do not follow the code of safety when using the internet. This has in turn left many businesses suffering at the hands of these employees who do not realize the implications of their actions. It is only a matter of time when these hackers successfully trick people into sharing their important bank details too if we do not dissuade them at this very step.
Protection from Phishing Attacks
The phishing scams will continue to plague the businesses until they install better antivirus software to protect their data or educate their employees regarding cyber security and threats. Only the best antivirus software may be able to detect the authenticity of a website. This is why it is better to have the employees be careful of the attachments they open and respond to while they are at work.
This security check is necessary not only for businesses but also for individual users who keep pretty much all the important data on their emails and the Google cloud. If they can hack into one account, it opens up a Pandora’s Box of information which can be of vital importance to online scammers. The problem with these emails is that they look extremely genuine and can fool even the best of us. To get an ultimatum from Gmail about account suspension will make any one curious. It is only a logical next step when one feeds in all the important information in the link provided, leaving himself vulnerable in front of his attackers.
Every day there is one phishing scam after another, that takes email accounts hostage and steals any vital information therein. However, the security of our accounts lies in our own hands. With a bit of foresight, we can really go a long way in keeping our personal information secure.
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