‘Signifcant Threat’—Billions Of Gmail Users At Risk From Google Gaffe

InnovationCybersecurity‘Signifcant Threat’—Billions Of Gmail Users At Risk From Google GaffeByDavey Winder,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Davey Winder is a veteran cybersecurity writer, hacker and analyst.Follow AuthorMay 11, 2026, 09:00am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Google security flaw is a significant threat to nearly all Gmail users.CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty ImagesAccording to Blake Barnes, Google’s own vice president of product for Gmail, “3 billion users rely on Gmail to connect and get things done,” while Google Drive has an estimated one billion active users. I can exclusively reveal that an architectural flaw in the integration between the two services poses a significant security threat to “nearly every individual with a Gmail account.” A new report has confirmed, with a proof of concept, that attackers can leverage Gmail and Google Drive as a high-trust malware delivery infrastructure by delivering malicious attachments that receive a misleading and dangerous “scanned by Gmail” seal of approval. Here’s everything you need to know, including the response from Google itself.ForbesGoogle Play ‘Call History For Any Phone Number’ Scam Cons MillionsBy Davey WinderScanned By Gmail Doesn’t Provide The Attachment Security You Might Think It DoesThe most popular free web service on the planet, Gmail, has a lot of security positives. And, oh boy, does it need them as it is under persistent attack from hackers and scammers alike. Thankfully, both Gmail and Google Drive have mechanisms in place to prevent them from being used to distribute the type of malicious files often used in such attacks. However, as Ben Ilkashi, a security researcher at Pentera Labs, exclusively shared with me, it is possible for an attacker to exploit these to devastating effect. “What if I told you that you could trick a machine into d...