After a wave of phishing attacks via fake files, Google has announced that its Google Workspace suite office collaboration tools will show a warning when the user opens potentially malicious files from the web.
This warning already appears when accessing deceptive files from Google Drive, as well as from suspicious links within Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings files separately, but the broader implementation should help protect users in a wider range of situations. Here’s an example.
Google Docs improves alerts for deceptive files and links
Security alerts appear to be an attempt to combat scams that use Google’s productivity software to camouflage deceptive links and phishing attempts.
In 2020 Wired reported a wave of scams that used Google’s various sharing and collaboration features to make victims fall into the trap.
By clicking on a link contained in one of these fake documents, the user is directed to a site full of deceptive ads or to a typical phishing site that asks you to enter your bank account login details or other.
Google’s announcement specifies that the new alert banner will be distributed in the next two weeks for all accounts, both business and personal.