Google says hundreds of Gmail accounts have been hacked but the problem is not just with security bur rather is a result of phishing and malware.
Google spelled out the situation in its official blog:
“Through the strength of our cloud-based security and abuse detection systems, we recently uncovered a campaign to collect user passwords, likely through phishing. This campaign, which appears to originate from Jinan, China, affected what seem to be the personal Gmail accounts of hundreds of users including, among others, senior U.S. government officials, Chinese political activists, officials in several Asian countries (predominantly South Korea), military personnel and journalists.”
The goal: apparently to monitor the contents of users’ emails. Hackers could then use stolen passwords to change peoples’ forwarding and delegation settings.
Gmail users affected by this security problem should have already been notified.
Google’s security team outlined a number of steps that Gmail users can take to protect themselves, such as choosing strong passwords and watching for suspicious activity warnings.
“This attack attempt might seem like a small incident (which it certainly is in comparison to the problems with Sony’s PlayStation Network or even Apple and the MacDefender issue), but it’s a reminder that it’s always a good idea to take even just a few moments to ensure your online identity is safe,” suggested Rachel King at ZDNet based at CBS Interactive’s San Francisco office.
By David Wilkening
