Beware! If Someone Shares a Random Google Doc With You, They’ve Been Hacked

Serious spam alert, scam-savvy friends! If you receive an invitation to access a Google Doc today, you’d better double check with the source that it’s legit. That’s because what appears to be a widespread phishing attack is sweeping across the country.

Reportedly spreading through users’ contact lists, according to The Atlantic, IT experts are describing this cyber attack as huge and moving at an incredibly fast pace.

Phishing (or malware) Google Doc links that appear to come from people you may know are going around. DELETE THE EMAIL. DON'T CLICK. pic.twitter.com/fSZcS7ljhu

— Zeynep Tufekci (@zeynep) May 3, 2017

Here’s what you need to know: The invitation will come from one of your existing contacts and may look totally legit at first. Often, you’ll appear to have been cc’d, but however it comes, once you click that link, you’ve been hit. The attack immediately replicates itself and will begin spamming everyone in your own contact list. Yep, it’s nasty, so (obviously) try to do your best to avoid it.

If you fear you’ve already been hit, then head over to Google’s security page to adjust permissions by choosing “manage apps” and then revoke access to any and all apps you don’t trust. Good luck!

Have you (or anyone you know) been hit by this Google Doc phishing attack? Let us know @BritandCo!

(h/t The Atlantic; photo via Chris Jackson/Getty)