Cyberattackers of today are making their way into every nook and corner of your digital ecosystem, as long as they get to exploit the gap you never thought existed. One such lucrative target these days is your Google Calendar.

This is the latest tactic, recently uncovered by Check Point researchers. They discovered that attackers are exploiting Google Calendar to send fake meeting invitations that contain malicious links. This happened with 300 organizations through over 4,000 spoofed Calendar invites sent in just four weeks.

As of 2025, there are over 500 million Google Calendar users globally. If even a small number of them fall for this, the damage could be huge. The problem is, these fake invites look normal and blend into your daily routine. You might click on one without thinking, and it could take you to a phishing site that tries to steal your information.

In this article, we dive deeper into how Google Calendar spoofing works, why it has become the next big target, and, most importantly, how to protect your organization from its wrath.

Why is Google Calendar a Lucrative Target for Attackers?

As we mentioned earlier, more than 500 million people use Google Calendar worldwide, making the target group massive. It’s not just about numbers; it’s the level of trust and routine associated with Calendar notifications. Unlike emails, which users have learned to approach with caution, Calendar invites are usually trusted as they come. They blend into daily workflows, often seen as just another meeting or reminder. And attackers exploit this mindset of familiarity.

Since people are less likely to suspect any malicious activity from a Calendar invite that is sent directly to them, attackers use it as an entry point to deliver phishing links, disguised as meeting links.

How are Google Calendar Invites Abused?

Like every other spoofing attack, Google Calendar attacks are also well-thought-out and executed.

Let us take a look at how these cybercriminals pull off such a sophisticated attack.

Exploiting the Vulnerabilities

They send fake meeting invites through Google Calendar that look completely normal. In the initial phases, they used to send out invites that were linked to Google Forms, asking users to fill out personal details like passwords or payment information. But as these attacks became more sophisticated over time, attackers changed their strategy. They moved on to using Google Drawings and .ics files, which are Calendar attachments. These methods helped them bypass some of the email filters that would usually catch suspicious links.

The reason their tactics work out is because of an inherent flaw in Google Calendar’s default settings. The platform allows any event invite, even from strangers, to get added to your Calendar automatically. So, the malicious attack with the phishing link just ends up in your Calendar without you doing anything.

Manipulating Their Way in

Experts have found that these cybercriminals often bypass spam filters and security protocols. They send phishing invites using Google Calendar itself, so when the invite reaches your inbox, it looks like it came directly from Google. As a result, even the email headers appear genuine and bypass all major security checks, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

Once these invite emails get through these checks, it is very easy for them to make their way into your inbox and eventually your Calendar.

Sometimes, the attackers go a step further and cancel the event with a note that is sent to you via email. This cancellation message often includes another phishing link, giving the attacker a second chance to trick you into clicking.

Adding Fake Links and Malicious Files

In these kinds of scams, the fake Calendar invite usually comes with a .ics file, which the platform adds to your schedule. From the outside, they might seem like any other meeting invite, but when you open them, you might come across a link to something like Google Forms or Google Drawings. Clicking on that link usually takes you to another page that asks you to click again, often through a reCAPTCHA box or a fake support button.

These are very common yet sophisticated tactics used in phishing attacks that make you feel as though you’re doing something routine, while actually leading you to give away sensitive information or click on something dangerous.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Calendar Phishing?

To think that you might never fall prey to such an attack is not the safest way to approach things. Here are some practical steps you can take to stay on top of things:

Open Invites With Caution

Now that you know that not all invites can be trusted, it’s best to be wary of any Calendar event that you weren’t expecting. If an invite shows up out of the blue, from someone you don’t know, or has inconsistencies, don’t click on any links inside it right away. Make sure to thoroughly review it, check who sent it, and verify that the event details are accurate and make sense to you.

And even if you open the email or the event, don’t blindly click on links, especially if they ask you to fill out a form, complete a CAPTCHA, or visit a support page.

Tighten Your Account Security

Unless you take steps to protect yourself, you will be an easy target. One simple way to enhance your security is by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Google account. This adds an extra step when you log in, so even if someone steals your password, they still can’t get in without the second verification.

Follow the Norms

Most email service providers like Google and Yahoo now require you to implement email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These protocols help verify that emails sent from your domain are genuine and not from impersonators.

If you haven’t set them up yet, it’s time to do so. They don’t just protect your email reputation but also help prevent attackers from misusing your domain to send phishing emails.

Hi, I’m Daksh Kaur—a freelance writer on a mission to make cybersecurity content clear, relatable, and worth your audience’s time. I’d love to work with you to transform complex topics into engaging content that resonates with your audience and drives results. Reach me at daksh@turtlewords.com and let’s build content that actually informs and converts.