Search giant Google has begun warning users that their accounts could be at risk from government-organized cyber-attacks as the firm looks to educate users of the risks they face on the web. The messages began appearing on Tuesday.
Search giant Google has begun warning users that their accounts could be at risk from government-organized cyber-attacks as the firm looks to educate users of the risks they face on the web.
The messages began appearing on Tuesday, appearing stating: “Warning: We believe state-sponsored attackers may be attempting to compromise your account or computer”, according to The New York Times.
Google is set to warn users it believes may have been targeted via its home page, on its Chrome browser and through its Gmail service, used by over 400 million people.
It’s not the first time Google has warned people of this threat, after a similar warning appeared in June.
The New York Times reported that Mike Wiacek, a manager on Google’s information security team, said since that warning it had gathered more information.
This had helped it uncover more information on attacks facing customers, alerting them to the fact “tens of thousands of new users” may be at risk.
Several people have already reported on Twitter that they have received the warnings from Google.
Gmail tells me that state-sponsored attackers may be attempting to compromise my account or computer. Looks like I’ve arrived!
— D. Gartenstein-Ross (@DaveedGR) October 2, 2012
The risk of state-sponsored attacks on personal accounts is another worrying development in the growing cyber battles being played out online.
Earlier this week the U.S. government admitted that a spear-phishing attack had infiltrated its networks, although claimed it had been monitored and isolated and no important information accessed.
This article was originally published on V3.