---
title: "The Severity Of Phishing Attacks Involving Google Applications And How To Keep Safe From It | Phish Protection"
description: "With the pandemic raging across the world, many business networks and organizations have switched over to working from home to let themselves be operational."
image: "https://phishprotection.com/og/blog/severity-of-phishing-attacks-involving-google-applications-and-how-to-keep-safe-from-it.png"
canonical: "https://phishprotection.com/blog/severity-of-phishing-attacks-involving-google-applications-and-how-to-keep-safe-from-it/"
---

Quick Answer

With the pandemic raging across the world, many business networks and organizations have switched over to working from home to let themselves be operational and safe simultaneously. \_This paradigm shift requires over-reliance on cloud-based services like Google’s GSuite\_. Though it has its advantages, it also has its drawbacks in the form of increased \*\*phishing attacks\*\*.

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With the pandemic raging across the world, many business networks and organizations have switched over to working from home to let themselves be operational and safe simultaneously. _This paradigm shift requires over-reliance on cloud-based services like Google’s GSuite_. Though it has its advantages, it also has its drawbacks in the form of increased **phishing attacks**.

_Phishing is not something new to Google-based services_. The threat has existed for years, but the pandemic has encouraged malicious actors to increase their attacks more than ever. Hence, Google Docs, Firebase, Google Forms, and other Google services increasingly become vulnerable targets.

### How Do Google Applications Become Vulnerable Targets?

Google is one of the most trusted online brands across the world. Malicious actors take advantage of the [trust users have in Google applications](https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/topic/phishing-with-google-forms-firebase-and-docs-detection-and-prevention/) to target them in the following ways.

#### If The URL Originates From Google, It Is Perceived To Be Legitimate

Organizations conduct employee [awareness training](/products/phishing-awareness-training/) and ensure [anti-phishing solutions](/) are in place. This training focuses the most on URL recognition. Google has a reputation for being a trusted domain. Hence, the general perception is that if the URL originates from Google, it is a legitimate website.

However, _Google Firebase and Google Sites allow organizations to host their web pages and develop web and mobile applications_. Such websites having content developed using Sites and Firebase feature a Google URL. Users see the Google domain and jump to the conclusion that it is legitimate.

Malicious actors take advantage of the situation and set up **phishing sites** on these domains. Generally, organizations allow Google URLs easy access and _bypass email scanning_. Therefore, it encourages these perpetrators to push in their **phishing emails** to the user’s inbox comparatively quickly. It exposes the organization to potentially damaging cybersecurity incidents.

#### Google Forms And Google Docs Operate Differently But Are Equally Vulnerable.

Google Docs is a prominent document-sharing application used globally. Similarly, Google Forms enables business entities like e-commerce websites to run surveys and collect critical data. In short, both these Google applications allow convenient movement of data. Hence, malicious actors love to use them to their advantage.

##### Universal Trust

People globally trust Google Forms and Docs as reliable means of sharing information. _Malicious actors use this goodwill to collect confidential personal information._

##### Malicious Links

Generally, email service providers offer [email phishing protection](/). However, some of the **email scanning solutions** do not inspect linked documents for malicious phishing links. It gives the threat actors convenient opportunities to deliver malicious content.

![Phishing protection software](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2021/05/phishing-protection-software-1008.jpg) 

##### Open Sharing

Many organizations use Google Docs online and share documents publicly. Such granular sharing on Docs and Google Drive makes it possible for _malicious actors to push phishing documents into legitimate Google Drive accounts_ of corporates and individuals.

##### Google Forms

Almost everyone would have participated in at least one legitimate marketing survey through Google Forms. It implies a higher possibility of people responding to surveys and questionnaires when it originates from Google Forms. _Malicious actors utilize the situation by including spurious **phishing forms** to request confidential information_.

##### Google Drive Collaboration

Google Drive offers a collaboration feature that involves push notifications about shared documents. _Malicious actors use the facility to send malicious documents_. As such communication generally originates from Google no-reply addresses, people tend to trust them and respond accordingly.

Cyber attackers use **phishing emails** and SMS to [distribute links through spurious Google Forms](https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/11/03/always-trust-google-here-are-256-password-stealing-reasons-you-shouldnt/?sh=6bfc056456ed). As people update these forms, they unwittingly share critical personal information. Similarly, the best **email filters** tend to treat Google-based applications differently as compared to other web pages. Fraudsters thus get a chance to use Google Forms to [bypass such email filters](https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/fraudsters-are-using-google-forms-to-evade-email-filters-a-15833) and introduce malicious attachments and links.

The above discussion showed how fraudsters use Google applications for their nefarious activities. Simultaneously, _one should be aware of the protection measures to prevent falling prey to such malicious tricks_.

### How To Prevent Malicious Actors From Taking Advantage Through Google Applications?

> “Zero-day phishing URLs have an average lifespan of just 12 hours before they’re added to blocklists. During that window, traditional signature-based filters are blind. Our real-time behavioral analysis catches these threats by pattern, not by signature - which is how we detect attacks that no database has seen yet.” - **Adam Lundrigan**, CTO, DuoCircle

**Phishing attacks** through Google applications are similar to any other phishing attack. However, _the trust people have in Google applications makes such attacks more fatal_.

Business entities and organizations have the best email [phishing protection](/) measures in place. Such safeguards, including anti-phishing and [anti-ransomware solutions](/products/malware-and-ransomware-protection/), must be equally applied to Google-based **phishing activities**, as well. 

#### Email Scanning Solutions

_Google-based scams occur mainly because the email scanning solutions look at the Google URL and do not take any action against it_, believing it to be a genuine email. The best [phishing protection solutions](/) should also have mechanisms to detect the malicious content hidden behind the Google URL.

#### Employee Awareness

Almost any cyberattack can be nipped in the bud _if the employees working in the organization are alert and aware of the cyber risks that could affect the business_. All organizations should endeavor to enhance [employee awareness training](/products/phishing-awareness-training/) and focus on detecting emails and documents that look suspicious instead of relying on the Google URL. _A **zero-trust policy** involving not trusting attachments and links irrespective of their source_ and looking out for suspicious emails can help reduce these Google applications-based cyberattacks.

#### Multi-factor Authentication

**Multi-factor authentication** is an effective countermeasure as it makes it more challenging for the malicious actor to infiltrate any digital system.

![Phishing protection software](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2021/05/phishing-protection-software-1007.jpg) 

### Final Words

With more people and organizations working online, especially from remote locations due to the pandemic, it has become _more convenient for fraudsters to deploy their nefarious tricks and steal critical data using **phishing attacks**_. Google applications like Docs and Forms provide the ideal platform for these malicious actors because of the trust people have in the brand name of Google. Though organizations worldwide adopt the best [anti-phishing solutions](/), they often overlook Google applications’ use by malicious actors to target the prey. _The ideal solution is to create awareness amongst employees_ about such crimes and increase their alertness levels to **thwart phishing attempts** by malicious actors.

## Topics

[ Phishing ](/tags/phishing/) 

![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg) 

[ Brad Slavin ](/authors/brad-slavin/) 

General Manager

Founder and General Manager of DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across DuoCircle's 2,000+ customer base.

[LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin) 

## Protect your inbox from phishing attacks

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[Start Free Trial](https://portal.duocircle.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=101&brand=phishprotection) [View Pricing](/pricing/) 

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