A new type of BazarCall attack is causing trouble by using a clever trick to fool people. Instead of the usual method, this attack takes advantage of Google Forms to create a more convincing phishing attempt.
What’s BazarCall?
BazarCall has been around since 2021, pretending to be payment notifications or subscription confirmations from well-known brands like security software, computer support, and streaming services. The idea is to make people believe they have an expensive subscription set for automatic renewal, pushing them to cancel to avoid charges. The email typically provides a phone number, supposedly connecting the person to customer service for help.
But here’s the twist: When people call, they end up installing BazarLoader, a malicious tool that helps attackers put more harmful stuff on their computers.
How are Google Forms exploited by BazarCall?
In the latest version of BazarCall, scammers use Google Forms to make their scheme more believable. They create a fake transaction with details like invoice number, date, and payment method. What’s smart is they turn on the “response receipt” option, making a copy of the form go to the person’s email. Because it comes from Google’s servers, it looks real and gets past email security tools.
The urgency remains, as the fake invoice includes the scammer’s phone number, pressuring people to call within 24 hours to dispute charges. This urgency trick is a classic move in social engineering.
While the next steps of the phishing tactic are not clear yet, past patterns suggest BazarCall often acts as the first step for cybercriminals trying to get into corporate networks, which can lead to ransomware attacks.
In response to these new threats, a Google spokesperson acknowledged the phishing attacks using Google Forms. They highlighted the strong defenses in Google Workspace to keep users safe. Google is also actively working to improve detection and reduce the impact of these tricky phishing attempts.
Taking measures
The ever-changing world of cyber threats reminds us how crucial it is to stay alert and use proactive security measures in the digital world.
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