Google has confirmed a massive security incident affecting nearly 2.5 billion Gmail users, in what could be the largest Gmail breach in the company’s history.
Initially, Google said no passwords were exposed — but in a follow-up, the company admitted that some password hashes may have been accessed, raising the risk of account takeovers.
The breach began in June 2025 when the hacking group ShinyHunters infiltrated Google’s corporate Salesforce database via a targeted social engineering attack.
The stolen data included contact details, company names, and internal notes — and in some cases, encrypted passwords. While hashes aren’t plain text, weak or reused passwords could be cracked.
Cybercriminals have already weaponized the breach, launching large-scale phishing and “vishing” campaigns.
Victims report receiving calls from spoofed Google numbers, followed by official-looking password reset emails. Attackers then trick users into reading out verification codes, enabling real-time account hijacking.
Google also warns of a new AI-driven threat: “indirect prompt injection” attacks, where malicious instructions are hidden in emails or documents. If read by AI assistants like Gemini, these could trigger unauthorized actions or data leaks without user clicks.
The company urges all Gmail users to change passwords immediately, enable multi-factor authentication (preferably via an authenticator app or passkey), and run a Google Security Checkup. Security experts say the breach’s fallout could last for months.
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