Google Fixes Critical Workspace Security Vulnerability
Google has swiftly addressed a security vulnerability in Google Workspace that allowed attackers to bypass email verification during account creation. The malicious activity, which began in late June, involved a few thousand unverified accounts.
The tech giant discovered an authentication weakness that permitted attackers to impersonate domain holders at third-party services using the 'Sign In with Google' feature. Google confirmed that the issue is unrelated to a recent Squarespace domain hijacking incident.
Attackers exploited this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to circumvent email verification during signup. None of the affected domains were previously associated with Workspace accounts or services. In one instance, an unauthorized Workspace account was used to sign in to a user's account at Dropbox.
Google moved quickly to fix the authentication bypass problem within 72 hours of discovery and implemented additional detection measures to prevent future occurrences. The company reassured users that no Google services were abused, and the attackers' primary goal was to impersonate domain holders at other online services.
