8 out of 14 Trump administration officials clicked a link in a fake phishing email sent to them by Gizmodo


When sent a fake phishing email by the technology website Gizmodo, more than half of 14 targeted Trump administration officials fell for clicking on the potentially dangerous link. "We sent them an email that mimicked an invitation to view a spreadsheet in Google Docs," Gizmodo writes. "The emails came from the address security.test@gizmodomedia.com, but the sender name each one displayed was that of someone who might plausibly email the recipient, such as a colleague, friend, or family member."
Newt Gingrich and FBI Director James Comey both cautiously replied to the emails, "apparently taking the sender's identity at face value," Gizmodo notes. Other targets of Gizmodo's test included White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, senior adviser Stephen Miller, and Trump's cybersecurity adviser, Rudy Giuliani.
Eight different unique devices visited the site, one of them multiple times. There's no way to tell for sure if the recipients themselves did all the clicking (as opposed to, say, an IT specialist they'd forwarded it to), but seven of the connections occurred within 10 minutes of the emails being sent.At least the recipients didn't go farther. Our testing setup — which included disclaimers for careful readers at each step — did not induce anyone to go all the way and try to hand over their credentials. [Gizmodo]
While Gizmodo began their investigation three weeks ago, their findings couldn't be more timely. Last week, approximately a million Gmail users received an email purporting to contain a link to a Google Doc that had been shared by someone the user knew. "While contact information was accessed and used by the campaign, our investigations show that no other data was exposed," a Gmail spokesperson told CNBC.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Of course, not everyone is always so lucky; emails exchanged by the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign were accessed after Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, fell for a similar phishing email.
"These are not theoretical risks," Gizmodo writes. Read their full investigation here.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Is Hamas losing control in Gaza?
Today's Big Question Balance of power among remaining leaders shifts as rival group emerges and population turns
-
Mario Kart World: Nintendo Switch 2's flagship game is 'unfailingly fun'
The Week Recommends The 'thrilling' racer includes a range of new features including open-world exploration
-
Frozen pizza sales could be a key indicator of a recession
The Explainer Sales of the item have been increasing since the pandemic
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threats
speed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein
-
Trump hits Africa, Middle East with new travel ban
Speed Read The travel ban bars visitors from 12 countries and restricts entry from seven
-
Elon Musk slams Trump's 'pork-filled' signature bill
speed read 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,' Musk posted on X
-
Depleted FEMA struggling as hurricane season begins
speed read FEMA has lost a third of its workforce amid DOGE cuts enforced by President Donald Trump