Google has hit back at claims of a massive Gmail breach, suggesting recent reports stem from a “misunderstanding of infostealer databases”.
In a post on X, the tech giant insisted Gmail's defenses are “strong, and users remain protected” in a bid to calm customer concerns.
“The inaccurate reports are stemming from a misunderstanding of infostealer databases, which routinely compile various credential theft activity occurring across the web,” Google said.
“It’s not reflective of a new attack aimed at any one person, tool, or platform.”
The company’s sharp response comes after a host of publications reported that 183 million Gmail accounts had been compromised in what one outlet described as a "huge data breach".
Speculation over a breach mounted after a sizable dataset was added to the Have I Been Pwned database, which allows web users to check if their credentials have been compromised.
In a blog post dissecting the dataset, which was collated by researchers at Synthient, creator Troy Hunt noted these records were the culmination of several years’ worth of infostealer activity, instead of a newly discovered breach.
Regardless, several outlets pounced on the situation. In response to a comment under his original blog post, Hunt echoed Google’s response to the coverage.
“I think they're deliberately misleading and designed to drive eyeballs on ads whilst the truth gets buried somewhere further down in the story,” he wrote.
Gmail breach claims are a dime a dozen
This isn’t the first time Google has been forced to push back against reports of a Gmail breach. Indeed, it’s the second in the space of three months.
In late August, reports of a major incident that impacted some 2.5 billion Gmail accounts began circulating online, once again prompting a statement from the tech giant in which it refuted the claims.
In a blog post, Google described reports as “entirely false” and said there was no risk to users.
"We want to reassure our users that Gmail’s protections are strong and effective,” the company said.
“Several inaccurate claims surfaced recently that incorrectly stated that we issued a broad warning to all Gmail users about a major Gmail security issue. This is entirely false.”
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