Alphabet Inc. warned its users to beware of e-mails from known contacts asking them to click on a link to Google Docs after a large number of people turned to social media to complain that their accounts had been hacked.
Google said on Wednesday that it had taken steps to protect users from the attacks by disabling offending accounts and removing malicious pages.
“Our abuse team is working to prevent this kind of spoofing from happening again,” the company said in an e-mail to Reuters.
The malicious e-mails asked victims to click to view a file created with Google Docs. Anybody who did that unknowingly granted hackers access to their Google account data including e-mails, contacts and online documents, according to security experts who reviewed the scheme.
“This is a very serious situation for anybody who is infected because the victims have their accounts controlled by a malicious party,” said Justin Cappos, a cybersecurity professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
Cappos said he received seven of those malicious e-mails in three hours on Wednesday afternoon, an indication that the hackers were using an automated system to perpetuate the attacks.
He said he did not know the objective, but noted that compromised accounts could be used to reset passwords for online banking accounts or provide access to sensitive financial and personal data. (Reporting by Alastair Sharp and Jim Finkle in Toronto)
Spam campaign targets Google users with malicious link
Spam campaign targets Google users with malicious link
DCO and Arab News partner to combat digital misinformation, explore AI’s impact on media
KUWAIT CITY: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the international Saudi newspaper Arab News have signed a Letter of Engagement aimed at strengthening knowledge and expertise exchange on the impact of artificial intelligence in the media sector, as well as leveraging expert insights to develop best practices to combat online misinformation amid accelerating technological advancements.
DCO said this step aligned with its efforts to strengthen collaboration with international media institutions to support responsible dialogue around digital transformation and contribute to building a more reliable, inclusive, and sustainable digital media environment.
Commenting on the agreement, Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization, said: “At a moment when AI is reshaping how truth is produced, distributed, and trusted, partnership with credible media institutions is essential.”
She added that “working with Arab News allows us to bridge technology and journalism in a way that protects integrity, strengthens public trust, and elevates responsible innovation. This collaboration is about equipping media ecosystems with the tools, insight, and ethical grounding needed to navigate AI’s impact, while ensuring digital transformation serves people and their prosperity.”
Faisal J. Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, emphasized that the partnership enhances media institutions’ ability to keep pace with technological shifts, noting that engagement with representatives of DCO Member States enables deeper understanding of emerging technologies and regulatory developments in the digital space.
He added: “DCO’s commitment to initiatives addressing online content integrity reflects a clear dedication to supporting a responsible digital environment that serves societies and strengthens trust in the digital ecosystem.”
The Letter of agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Fifth DCO General Assembly held in Kuwait City under the theme “Inclusive Prosperity in the Age of AI”, alongside the second edition of the International Digital Cooperation Forum, held from 4–5 February, which brought together ministers, policymakers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society representatives from more than 60 countries to strengthen international cooperation toward a human-centric, inclusive, and sustainable digital economy.
