Greg's Corner

Google Spoof Scam Exposes Flaws

By Greg Collier

Phishing has evolved far beyond clumsy scams riddled with typos and generic threats. It now wears the mask of legitimacy, often cloaked in branding and technical language convincing enough to fool even savvy users. A recent example of this growing trend involves an especially deceptive attack using Google’s own infrastructure as a weapon.

Cybercriminals have been exploiting Google Sites and other services to distribute phishing emails that appear to originate from Google’s own domain. In this case, a message disguised as a legal request from law enforcement was sent to users, complete with references to subpoenas and the need to review case materials. The message urged the recipient to click on a link to a Google support page, which in reality led to a page designed to harvest login credentials.

The trap is insidious. The phishing page is hosted on a subdomain of Google.com, lending a false sense of trust to unsuspecting users. Because the site is built with Google Sites, it carries the appearance of a legitimate Google interface. The attackers further muddy the waters by ensuring the phishing email lands in the same thread as previous legitimate security alerts, increasing the likelihood that users will trust it.

The deeper issue lies in how Google has allowed this vulnerability to persist. The legacy version of Google Sites, still accessible today, permits anyone to publish content on a Google.com subdomain. This opens the door to abuses like malicious scripts and fake credential portals. Google has been warned about this gap in security, yet the core issues remain unresolved. While some reactive measures have been taken, the architecture still leaves room for repeat abuse.

This raises a broader concern about corporate responsibility in digital security. Google has positioned itself as a cornerstone of online identity and infrastructure, and with that status comes the obligation to protect its users proactively. Allowing these phishing schemes to exploit the trust associated with the Google name creates not just a security risk, but an erosion of that trust.

Google’s statement suggests users enable two-factor authentication and passkeys as a defense. While this is sound advice, it shifts the burden onto individuals to compensate for shortcomings in the platform’s safeguards. The more sustainable solution would be for Google to close the loopholes that allow bad actors to operate under its umbrella in the first place.

As phishing continues to mimic trusted entities more convincingly, users must remain cautious. But the companies whose tools are being weaponized also bear responsibility. Until tech giants like Google take these exploits seriously and move swiftly to harden their platforms, the digital wolves will keep getting in, dressed in ever more convincing sheep’s clothing.