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Came to HN today figuring there would be a thread about this, after getting an email about it from Google themselves, riddled with things causing me to wonder i
by hunter2_ 3y ago
Came to HN today figuring there would be a thread about this, after getting an email about it from Google themselves, riddled with things causing me to wonder if the message was spoofed:
1. "Dear User" -- other emails I've gotten from Google say "Hello" or "Hi <firstname>" or have no salutation at all.
2. The main section begins with "Passkey support will be integrated because they’re easier to use, and safer than most other forms of 2-SV." -- The plural antecedent of "they're" is merely implied (the literal plural antecedent "passkeys" isn't actually written).
3. In that same sentence, the comma before "and" is grammatically incorrect. The comma should not exist, or it should be followed by a complete sentence. The same comma rule is also violated in a later sentence: "You won’t need to enter a password to sign in to your account, or to select only a single phone to use as your built-in security key any longer."
I'm not really a huge stickler for grammar, but I've seen countless "how to spot phishing" guides specifically suggesting that we look for grammatical mistakes, as they're specifically included for purposes of improving the ratio of hooked phish to eaten phish, so it follows that messages which aren't phishing really ought to use correct grammar!
- nobody9999 3y ago>I'm not really a huge stickler for grammar, but I've seen countless "how to spot phishing" guides specifically suggesting that we look for grammatical mistakes, as they're specifically included for purposes of improving the ratio of hooked phish to eaten phish, so it follows that messages which aren't phishing really ought to use correct grammar! Lily Tomlin & co. could have made this[0] for Google today, instead of for AT&T ~50 years ago. The dynamics haven't changed, just the corporations involved. And more's the pity. [0] https://vimeo.com/355556831 https://vimeo.com/355556831
- tialaramex 3y ago> I've seen countless "how to spot phishing" guides One of the things you'd see those guides mention a lot is the call to action. The bad guys want you to do something for them, otherwise they wouldn't send you email. In contrast the Google email you're complaining about says, "No action is required from you" which is my favourite type of letter from every company. Can I forget all about this and take no action? You bet I can.