The Google Calendar app has a security hole that is being used to collect personal information from users. As Wired puts it, miscreants use this flaw to collect your bank details or even your social security number.
This is yet another phishing scam that uses one of Google’s most popular applications. As with all schemes of the genre, the idea is to try to get users to provide information of a personal nature.
Table of Contents
Google Calendar reminders are the door to a new phishing scheme
This is an option that will add to your Calendar invitations that you have not responded to. Shortly before this event takes place, the application sends a notification to the user to replay this event.
In some cases, mums will add events to our Calendar that generate notifications for an alleged pending bank transfer. You are therefore required to enter access data into our account.
In other cases, users are being notified that they have won a prize. In order to be able to claim it, you are asked to enter the social security number of the visa, in a form.
False notifications appear until you respond to the same
Persistence is one of the words we can use to describe this scheme. This is because hackers constantly send such notifications until users respond.
How can I prevent myself from falling into one of these schemes?
First of all, you should never enter any such data on platforms that are not officially made available by your bank or government. On all official platforms, HTTPS security certification is in place. Therefore, whenever you come across a platform that does not have this certification, never reveal any personal data.
You can also go to Google Calendar, through your browser, to disable this type of notifications. Here are the steps to take to do so:
- Open Google Calendar in your browser
- Click the Settings icon at the top of the screen
- Choose “Event Settings”
- In the “Automatically add invitations” option choose “No, show only the invitations to which I replied”
- In the display options, remove the “Show refused events”
Following these steps, guarantors will not be added to your calendar any type of event without your authorization. Thus, you avoid any attempt to illegally collect your data.
If you need help, have doubts or concerns, do not hesitate to leave a comment in the comment box below and we will try to help you as soon as possible!