Google SMTP relay service abused for sending phishing emails

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Content source

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-smtp-relay-service-abused-for-sending-phishing-emails/

Phishing actors abuse Google's SMTP relay service to bypass email security products and successfully deliver malicious emails to targeted users.

According to a report from email security firm Avanan, there has been a sudden uptick in threat actors abusing Google's SMTP relay service starting in April 2022.

The company has detected at least 30,000 emails in the first two weeks of April being distributed through this method.

Recommendations

Checking the sender's address to spot a malicious spoofing attempt isn't enough against this type of attack, so checking the full headers when you're unsure would be an excellent place to start.

Additionally, when links are embedded in the message body, hover over them to check the destination instead of clicking. Sometimes, merely visiting harmful sites is enough for malware to be dropped on your system.

Finally, if the message contains any attachments, especially if these are of risky formats, do not download and do not open them