Gmail Security Alerts Are "Misinformation," Yet Phishing Continues to Target Inboxes Daily: Google's Official View and Practical Guide

Gmail Security Alerts Are "Misinformation," Yet Phishing Continues to Target Inboxes Daily: Google's Official View and Practical Guide

2025年09月03日 15:41

1. What Happened: "Emergency Warning" Reports and Google's Denial

In early September, articles claiming "Gmail issued an emergency warning to all users" and "urged 2.5 billion people to change their passwords" were rapidly shared by overseas media and on social media. In response, Google explained on its official blog that there was no such "widespread warning," and the reports were incorrect. They stated that "Gmail's protection is strong and effective," and misinformation disrupts discussions on cybersecurity.blog.google


NDTV Profit and U.S. local stations also covered Google's "misreporting" statement. They expressed concerns about misinformation and urged users to remain calm and not overreact.NDTV ProfitNBC Chicago



2. Key Points of the Official Statement (3 Points)

  1. The "large-scale Gmail warning" itself was incorrect
    Google denied the series of reports as "Several inaccurate claims…"blog.google

  2. Block Rate: Over 99.9%
    Gmail reportedly blocks over 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware in advance.blog.googlesafety.google

  3. Recommendation: Additional Defenses like Passkeys
    Due to the prevalence of fake notifications and scams exploiting misinformation, it is recommended to use passkeys and follow best practices for phishing prevention.blog.google



3. The "Confusion" in the Background: What Was Really the Issue?

Some reports suggest that incidents related to external platforms like Salesforce and scams exploiting them were confused with a "large-scale Gmail breach". Additionally, reports indicate an increase in more sophisticated social engineering attacks, such as **voice impersonation (vishing)**, which have amplified anxiety.The Telegraph



4. Currently Targeted Methods (Examples)

  • Fake Support/Emergency Notification Type:
    Messages inducing strong urgency, such as "Your account is at risk" or "Check immediately," leading to fake login pages.

  • Fake Password Reset:
    Stealing authentication information on pages that closely resemble the real ones.

  • Abuse of OAuth Consent Screens:
    Encouraging "granting permissions to apps" to obtain persistent access to read emails, etc.

  • Fake Invoices/Business Communications (BEC/Spear Phishing):
    Impersonating business partners or superiors to demand changes in payment destinations or submission of sensitive information.

  • Voice (Phone) + Email Coordination (Vishing):
    Contact via email → claiming "identity verification" over the phone to extract information—multi-stage social engineering is becoming mainstream.Google Support



5. "Practical 10 Commandments" for Individual Users Starting Today

  1. Set up passkeys (prioritize if possible).blog.google

  2. **Enable Two-Step Verification (2SV).**

  3. Conduct a Security Checkup to inventory weaknesses.safety.google

  4. Use strong, unique passwords and a password manager.

  5. Do not enter passwords on linked pages (if necessary, access directly from the browser's address bar).Google Support

  6. Beware of spoofed sender domains/display names (be cautious of look-alike domains).Google Support

  7. Avoid auto-execution of attachments.

  8. "Report" suspicious emails (Gmail's phishing report feature).Google Support

  9. Enhance Chrome's "Safe Browsing" for real-time protection.Safe Browsing

  10. Take a deep breath before responding to urgent messages pretending to be from public, financial, or delivery services—always verify through official apps or websites.blog.google



6. Emergency Checklist for Google Workspace (Administrators)

  • Optimize SPF/DKIM/DMARC to strongly detect spoofing.

  • **Strictly manage "unauthenticated email processing"** (warn/quarantine/spam filter).

  • Enable BEC protection and domain spoofing countermeasures.

  • Consider applying Enhanced Safe Browsing organization-wide. These can be finely controlled in the admin console.Google Support+1



7. "Red Flag Signs" Check in the Inbox

  1. Emphasis on urgency (demanding a response within hours)

  2. Discomfort with the sender (free email/similar spelling domains)

  3. Mismatch in link URLs (displayed vs. actual destination)

  4. Requests for money, authentication information, or numbers (gift cards, OTP, recovery codes)

  5. Executable attachments/password-protected ZIPs

  6. Excessive OAuth permission requests (read, send, contact access)

  7. Phone numbers listed (inducing callbacks for vishing coordination)
    If any of these apply, be cautious. Close the email and verify yourself through official sites or apps.Google SupportSafe Browsing



8. "Information Hygiene" to Avoid Being Misled by Misinformation

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