Cybersecurity Authority warns against phishing attacks on Gmail, YouTube users

The National Cybersecurity Authority has issued a word of caution to Gmail and YouTube users over phishing attacks.

The notice comes after Google issued an alert to users of Gmail and YouTube against an emerging phishing attack that poses a threat to users of these online services.

They said hackers use this attack vector to harvest the personal and/or sensitive data of unsuspecting individuals to perpetuate other malicious activities.

The Authority described the hackers’ modus operandi as follows:

Gmail Account Phishing Attack

Attackers are impersonating Google's brand to send fake emails or pop-ups beginning with the subject line "Online Reward Program".

Users who open this email or pop-up are presented with the message "Congratulations! You are a lucky Google user! Every 10 millionth search is reached worldwide; we will proclaim a lucky user to send out a thank-you gift. You are the lucky user!"

The message then requires users to click on a specific link to redeem their prize by entering their personal information, which is then harvested.

YouTube Phishing Attack

Attackers are impersonating YouTube channels to send fraudulent emails to unsuspecting users. The emails are sent from mailto:no-reply@youtube.com using subject lines such as "YouTube policy change" and "The YouTube team sent you a video." The email contains a link to the video or an attachment that leads to a fake login page where personal information is harvested or may contain malware.

Users have, however, been advised that “Google does NOT offer spontaneous prizes in the format described above. Do NOT reply with your personal information. Do NOT reply to or click on any link or attachment from an unsolicited sender.”

“Verify any reward programmes via mainstream media outlets such as newspapers and websites before assuming they are true. Be cautious of messages that create a sense of urgency or fear, prompting you to take immediate action or risk losing access to your account or any other offer,” the May 8 notice indicated.