How Cybercriminals Abuse Google Cloud for Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks continue to evolve, with cybercriminals finding new ways to bypass traditional security methods. A recent campaign, highlighted by Check Point, shows how attackers are abusing Google Cloud's Application Integration service to impersonate legitimate emails. These phishing attempts leverage Google's trust, making them hard to detect. The latest attack targeted thousands of global organizations.

What Is Google Cloud's Application Integration Service?

Google Cloud's Application Integration service allows for easy communication between apps and services. One of its tasks, the "Send Email" feature, allows businesses to send automated email notifications to users. While intended for legitimate purposes, cybercriminals have hijacked this service to distribute phishing emails, leveraging the trust associated with Google Cloud infrastructure to bypass security filters.

How Cybercriminals Abuse Google Cloud for Phishing

Cybercriminals are abusing the "Send Email" task in Google Cloud’s Application Integration service. These attackers send phishing emails from a legitimate Google domain (noreply-application-integration@google.com) that impersonate common enterprise notifications, like voicemail alerts or file-sharing requests. This makes the emails appear genuine and trustworthy, which helps them bypass email security systems.

Targeted Industries: The attack mainly targets organizations in manufacturing, technology, finance, professional services, and retail sectors.
Attack Flow: The phishing emails contain links that redirect users to malicious content hosted on Google Cloud services, such as storage.cloud.google.com, which then leads to fake Microsoft login pages.

Phishing Campaign Results: A Large-Scale Attack

In December 2025, the attackers were observed sending 9,394 phishing emails targeting 3,200 organizations globally. This attack demonstrates the growing sophistication of phishing campaigns, with threat actors using trusted services like Google Cloud to gain a foothold in victims inboxes.

How Leave Me Alone Protects You from Phishing

While it's impossible to completely prevent phishing emails, tools like Leave Me Alone provide a powerful defense. With Leave Me Alone, you can:

Unsubscribe from Unwanted Emails: Instantly block malicious emails before they cause harm.
Protect Your Privacy: Leave Me Alone doesn't store or sell your data, ensuring your privacy is safeguarded.
Streamlined Experience: The easy-to-use tool helps clear your inbox without additional hassle or complex setups.

Best Practices to Stay Safe from Phishing

Never Click Unknown Links: If you’re unsure about an email, don't click any links or download attachments.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Adding an extra layer of security can prevent unauthorized access even if your credentials are stolen.
Use Trusted Email Management Tools: Tools like Leave Me Alone can help you easily unsubscribe from phishing attempts and maintain a secure inbox.
Stay Educated on Phishing Techniques: Keep up to date with the latest phishing tactics so you can better spot suspicious activity, and implement active liveness detection, if possible, for sensitive transactional matters.

What to Do if You've Clicked on a Phishing Link

If you’ve clicked a phishing link and entered personal information, here’s what you should do immediately:

Change your passwords on important accounts (email, banking, etc.).
Monitor your accounts for any unusual activity.
Report the phishing attempt to the relevant authorities or your IT department if you're part of an organization.

Stay Secure with Leave Me Alone

While Google Cloud is a trusted platform for many businesses, it can also be exploited by attackers for malicious purposes. Stay vigilant and use reliable tools like Leave Me Alone to manage your inbox and ensure your data remains secure. By simplifying email management and focusing on privacy, Leave Me Alone helps you avoid falling victim to phishing attacks.

FAQ

What should I do if I receive a phishing email from a trusted source?

Always verify the authenticity of the email. If it looks suspicious, avoid clicking links or downloading attachments. Use tools like Leave Me Alone to help filter out these emails.

Can Leave Me Alone protect me from phishing?

While Leave Me Alone doesn't directly block phishing emails, it helps manage and unsubscribe from unwanted messages that may contain malicious content.

How do I know if an email is phishing?

Look for red flags such as unfamiliar senders, unexpected attachments, and urgent language asking you to click links. Always double-check by contacting the sender through trusted channels.