It appears that Gmail has been hit with a broad, while crude, attack that has hijacked a number of user accounts, sending spam offers of cheap Viagra to the hacked person's contacts.
The first reports trickled in about a week ago, but the level of spam seems to have increased in the last couple of days.
Details are slim, but the spam messages are reportedly being sent via Gmail's mobile site, leading some to suspect there may be a bug in the product. Google has indicated that investigation had not revealed any vulnerabilities in Gmail (either the mobile or full desktop versions), and speculated that it might be simpler for an automated bot to be programed to use the mobile version.
It's likely that the log-in credentials for these accounts were harvested using traditional phishing techniques or malware, hardly a Gmail-specific issue. As usual, much of this problem probably could have been avoided with good browsing habits.
In another development, Google Hack Leaked to Internet; Security Experts Urge Vigilance. The code that was used to hack Gmail accounts in China is now publicly available on the Internet, and security experts are urging computer users throughout the world to be highly vigilant until a patch can be developed.
Gmail Password Hack utility is now widely available from warez sites, downloader sites and torrents sites. If you think your Gmail account has been compromised or already compromised, backup your contact list and remove it so that Gmail will not send spamming emails (peddling Viagra pills and other pharmaceutical products). Next, change your Gmail password. Download the latest anti-virus software and rescan all your PC or laptop drives for virus and trojans.
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