DANGER!!! Over 4.6 Billion Gmail Users' Accounts Are Threatened by AI Hack

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Komputer JaduL-, Google warns 2.5 billion Gmail users to be careful, because of the threat of hacking that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) technology or called AI hack. This hack is quite sophisticated because it uses AI to call victims and launch phishing (fraud that attempts to obtain personal data).

 In addition, the fraudsters claim to be part of the Google support team, and also use numbers that look official when carrying out their actions. In response to this case, Google updated Gmail security for billions of users by introducing several practical steps, including sender authentication to the implementation of the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) email authentication method.

According to Gmail Group Product Manager, Neil Kumaran, there are many parties sending mass emails, who do not secure and configure their systems properly. As a result, hackers can easily hide among these users. Therefore, now all mass email senders, defined as parties who send at least 5,000 emails to personal Gmail accounts in a day, are required to provide DMARC authentication.

In addition, they also need to use the email authentication method with a digital signature or called DomainKeys Identified Mail and Sender Policy Framework. "That way, it will close the gap exploited by attackers who threaten every email user," said Kumaran.

Trick victims using AI

Google's warning is related to the threat of Gmail hacking that has attacked a number of users. Zach Latta, founder of Hack Club and one of the people who almost became a victim of the Gmail hacking practice, called the incident that happened to him the most sophisticated phishing attack he had ever experienced. This is because the fraudster sounded flexible even though it was actually driven by AI. In this case, the hacker tricked the victim, including Zach, by claiming to be from the Google support team. They also used a phone number that looked official when calling the victim.

Illustration Hackers

In the call, the hacker said that the victim's account had been hacked by someone and was being restored by him. Then they would send an email to the victim's Gmail with an email account that looked legitimate and send a code to restore the account. In fact, if the victim followed all the instructions from the hacker, their Gmail account could be hacked.

 According to Zach Latta, when he received a call from the hacker, they did sound like real technicians. Although, the practice was a phishing mode because they tried to ask for login credentials to access his account. "He sounded like a real technician, his connection was clear and he had an American accent," Latta told Forbes. Not only Latta, the founder of venture capital firm Y Combinator, Garry Tan and Microsoft solutions consultant Sam Mitrovic also experienced similar incidents.