Google adds Anti-Phishing feature also to Gmail app for iOS

Pierluigi Paganini August 15, 2017

To fight phishing attacks, Google has introduced a security measure for its Gmail app for iOS that will help users identify and delete phishing emails.

Phishing continues to be one of the most dangerous threats, crooks continue to devise new techniques to trick victims into providing sensitive information. The technique is still the privileged attack vector for financially motivated attacks and recent attacks reached a level of sophistication that made them phishing messages hard to detect.

The number of HTTPs Phishing sites continues to increase, it is the response of phishers to the improvements implemented by Browser-makers.

To fight phishing attacks, Google has introduced a security measure for its Gmail app for iOS that will help users identify and delete phishing emails.

“In May of this year, we introduced anti-phishing security checks in the Gmail Android app. We’re now bringing similar checks to the Gmail app on your iOS device. Going forward, when you click on a suspicious link in a Gmail message on your iPhone or iPad, we’ll show the warning below. We recommend that you use caution before proceeding because the link is likely unsafe. ” reads the announcement.

The feature, that will be available for everyone in a couple of weeks, will display a warning about potential phishing attacks when iPhone users click on a suspicious link.

Every time a user of the Gmail app for iOS will click on a link that is considered dangerous by Google, he will be displayed a pop-up, warning of the attempt of visiting an untrusted website.

Suspicious link
This link leads you to an untrusted site. Are you sure you want to proceed to example.com?

Even if the user ignores this first warning and continue, the Gmail app for iOS will display a second warning with more detailed information about the alleged bogus website.

Gmail app for iOS anti phishing

Warning – phishing (web forgery) suspected

The site you are trying to visit has been identified as a forgery, intended to trick you into disclosing financial, personal or other sensitive information.

You can continue to example.com at your own risk.

A similar feature has already been made available in the Gmail app for Android since May of this year.

The new feature will help users to avoid phishing attacks, as usual, pay attention to unsolicited emails and never open attachment or click on embedded links.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs – Phishing, Gmail app)

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