Google has suffered the largest data leak in its history, putting nearly 2.5 billion Gmail users at risk. Hackers from the group ShinyHunters broke into Google’s data system through Salesforce and stole massive amounts of information. Experts warn that this could lead to serious privacy violations, phishing attacks, and account theft.
The Biggest Data Leak in Google’s History
Cybersecurity experts have confirmed that this is the largest information leak Google has ever faced. They fear that the stolen data could badly impact users’ privacy and personal security.
How Hackers Gained Access
In June, hackers from the group ShinyHunters tricked a Google employee and entered the Salesforce cloud platform. From there, they secretly stole:
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A huge number of business documents
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Names of companies
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Customer details
Hackers then used this information to send fake emails and make phone calls to Gmail users, pretending to be Google employees. They asked for login details or security codes, leading many people to lose access to their accounts.
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Fake Phone Calls and Phishing Attacks
Many Gmail users reported on social media that they received calls from the US 650 area code. Hackers pressured them to reset their passwords, which resulted in stolen accounts and private information.
Cybersecurity expert James Knight warned:
“After Google’s database was hacked, phishing attacks have increased rapidly. Hackers are calling or messaging people pretending to be Google employees. Users should never trust such contacts.”
He also advised Gmail users to immediately check their login settings and use strong, complex passwords.
Why Salesforce Was Targeted
Salesforce is widely used for storing customer information, and Google also used it to build Gmail user profiles. At the time of the hack, the system stored around 2.5 billion records.
James Knight pointed out the shocking flaw in Google’s security:
“Google spends huge amounts on security and even buys cybersecurity companies. Yet such a big weakness remained, which hackers used. These stolen email addresses are now a goldmine for them.”
Google’s Response
Google admitted that hackers stole some information from the database but claimed that users’ passwords are still safe. However, the company has not revealed how many users were affected.
Google spokesperson Mark Karayan refused to make any further comments on the matter.
Source: Metro
