Cyber news, tools & one smart career path from your Cyber Bestie.
5 min read
Quick Reality Check
Warning to 1.8B Gmail users: Gmail’s AI Assistant Gemini Is Being Tricked to Help Hackers!
What happened: A dangerous phishing campaign is targeting 1.8 billion Gmail users, and it’s doing something wild: tricking Google’s Gemini AI assistant into helping steal your data. Hackers are hiding malicious scripts inside innocent-looking emails. When Gemini tries to summarize or scan the email (as it’s designed to do), it can get manipulated into exposing sensitive information or even helping extract your login credentials, without you ever clicking a link.
Why it matters: This isn’t just a clever phishing email, it’s a new kind of AI-powered threat. As more people rely on tools like Gemini to read or summarize emails, attackers are adapting fast. If you’re using Gmail’s AI features, double-check your settings, disable auto-summaries if needed, and be extra cautious with any unusual email activity. Even your AI assistant can be fooled.
Read more here.
60-Second Protection Fix
In light of the Gemini AI issue, here is how to lock down your gmail, we suggest you temporarily disable Gemini auto summaries. Here is how to turn it off:
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Open Gmail in your browser.
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Click the ⚙️ Settings gear and choose See all settings.
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Under the General tab, scroll to Smart features and personalization.
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Uncheck “Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet”.
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Scroll down and click Save Changes.
This disables Gemini summaries, Smart Compose, event parsing, and more.
Lastly, check your Google Security Settings - Go to myaccount.google.com/security and scroll down to “Your devices” make sure only your devices are signed in and kick anyone else out.
Exploring a New Career?
Check out Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst (aka “The Guardians of the Network”)
Security Operations Center (SOC) Analysts are the frontline defenders of an organization’s digital world. They monitor networks, systems, and user activity in real time to detect and respond to cyber threats before they cause damage. If you’ve ever thought, “How do we catch attacks before they become breaches?”, this could be your path.
Learn more about Application Security in my Cyber Paths 101
Cyber Paths 101 gives you a tour of all 14 cybersecurity domains (yes, including SOC analyst) so you can discover which role fits you best.
Want to dive in further? Join the Cyber Career Club to level up your skills, find your path, and grow alongside a community that’s got your back.
Click here to take the free Cybersecurity Intro course.
Must-Have Tool
Google Alerts (but make it cyber smart)
Google Alerts is a free tool that lets you monitor the internet for your name, email, brand, or any sensitive keyword, so you know immediately if something sketchy shows up online.
Use it to:
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Track if your full name, email address, or company name appears in any suspicious places
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Monitor cyber news, zero-days, or breaches in real-time (set alerts for “data breach + your industry”)
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Stay ahead of leaks or identity theft clues before they spiral
Set it up here: https://www.google.com/alerts
What You Missed This Week
I’m hosting my first-ever giveaway, and it’s kind of major. I’m giving away a brand new MacBook Air 2025 (yes, really)!
It’s seriously the easiest giveaway ever. No complicated rules, no weird forms. Just tap the image or click here and follow the simple steps to enter.
What We're Hearing From You!
So inspiring! I am currently in a cyber security position and climbing the corporate ladder. For the future, I am thinking about starting a cybersecurity influencer approach. Give me a piece of advice from the world’s greatest cybersecurity influencer! - @andreicristianh
Love this for you, Andrei!
Here’s my advice: Find your unique strength, tie it into your content, and always lead with helping others. If you're being authentic and consistent, your people will find you. Don’t simply chase trends!
Let’s keep building together!
Stay protected,
Cybersecurity Girl
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