How to secure your Google Workspace inbox from phishing and spoofing

Email remains the most frequently targeted communication channel for cybercriminals. In fact, according to Paubox, phishing is the leading cause of healthcare breaches, with over 70% of healthcare data breaches in 2024 originating from phishing attacks. The FBI notes that many of these phishing attempts rely on spoofing tactics to lure victims in and convince them to take the bait. Understanding these risks is the first step in knowing how to secure your Google Workspace inbox from phishing and spoofing.

Understanding the threat: Phishing vs Spoofing

Spoofing is a deceptive tactic used by cybercriminals to hide their true identity and impersonate a trusted individual or organization. They achieve this by falsifying information such as phone numbers, email addresses, or IP addresses, with email being the most frequently exploited medium. Cybercriminals use this tactic to gain unauthorized access, steal personal information, spread malware, or trick victims into transferring money.  

Phishing, on the other hand, is a “social engineering [tactic] in which a cyber threat actor poses as a trustworthy colleague, acquaintance, or organization to lure a victim into providing sensitive information or network access. The lures can come in the form of an email, text message, or even a phone call. If successful, this technique could enable threat actors to gain

initial access to a network and affect the targeted organization and related third parties. The result can be a data breach, data or service loss, identity fraud, malware infection, or ransomware,” writes CISA. 

The difference between the two is that spoofing focuses on disguising the attacker’s identity or the source of a communication, while phishing focuses on manipulating the victim into taking a harmful action. Spoofing can exist on its own, but it is often used as a supporting tactic within phishing schemes to make fraudulent messages appear more legitimate. 

Protecting against spoofing and phishing

To protect against spoofing and phishing, the FBI offers several practical precautions. First, possible victims must remember that legitimate companies will not contact them to request their username or password. They should also avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails or text messages. Instead, they can look up the company’s official phone number, rather than using the one in a suspicious message, and call to confirm whether the request is legitimate.

Furthermore, individuals should also carefully inspect email addresses, URLs, and the spelling used in any communication. Cybercriminals often rely on minor, easily overlooked differences to trick recipients into trusting a fraudulent message. Possible victims must also be cautious with what they download, never open attachments from unknown senders, and be wary even of files that have been forwarded to you.

The FBI also recommends enabling two-factor or multi-factor authentication on any account that supports it and keeping it active at all times. Finally, individuals must limit the personal information they share online or on social media. Details like pet names, birthdays, schools, or family members can give scammers the clues they need to guess your passwords or successfully answer your security questions.

These steps significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to spoofing and phishing attacks by making you a harder target for social engineering and identity deception.

How Google protects against spoofing and phishing

In April 2024, Google began automatically blocking emails from bulk senders who fail to meet stricter spam thresholds and do not authenticate their messages according to new guidelines designed to enhance defenses against spam and phishing attacks. According to Bleeping Computer, “the company now requires those who want to dispatch over 5,000 messages daily to Gmail accounts to set up SPF/DKIM and DMARC email authentication for their domains. The new guidelines also require bulk email senders to avoid sending unsolicited or unwanted messages, provide a one-click unsubscribe option, and respond to unsubscription requests within two days.”

“As an administrator, you can protect incoming mail against phishing and harmful software (malware). You can also choose what action to take based on the type of threat detected. For example, you might choose to move suspicious content to your Spam folder, or choose to leave it in your inbox with a warning. All the security settings can be tailored for different users and teams using organizational units,” says Google. “By default, Gmail displays warnings, and moves untrustworthy emails to the spam folder. Using the settings in this article helps you identify additional unwanted or harmful emails.” 

Google also offers advanced security settings that protect against:  

• “Suspicious attachments and scripts from untrusted senders.” This “includes protection against attachment types that are uncommon for your domain,” which can be used by the cybercriminal to spread malware.
• Malicious links and external images by identifying links behind short URLs, scanning linked images for malicious content, and displaying a warning sign when you click links that direct you to untrusted domains.
• Spoofing and authentication by offering protection against domain name spoofing and unauthenticated email from any domain. According to Google, “Unauthenticated emails display a question mark next to the sender’s name. Spoofing protection can be turned on for private groups, or for all groups.”

The HIPAA compliant solution that automatically protects your email: Paubox

While Google offers strong security foundations, it still requires proper configuration and ongoing vigilance to stay protected from phishing and spoofing attacks. For healthcare organizations operating under HIPAA, relying solely on built-in protections is rarely enough. Organizations also need an email security solution that works automatically, enforces compliance, and removes the burden of manual security checks. Paubox provides exactly that.

Paubox Email Suite is a HIPAA compliant solution designed specifically for healthcare. It encrypts every outbound email by default, with no portals, plugins, or extra steps required for senders or recipients. This ensures that even if a phishing attempt tricks someone into replying with sensitive information, the message remains protected.

However, Paubox goes far beyond encryption. It includes advanced inbound email security that blocks threats before they ever reach the inbox. Features like:

• Real-time link scanning and URL rewriting to identify and neutralize malicious links
• Threat intelligence and domain reputation checks to detect spoofed or newly registered domains
• Spam and malware filtering powered by AI
• Protection against display-name and domain impersonation attacks

These built-in capabilities automatically defend users from common phishing tactics, spoofed messages, and other social engineering attempts without disrupting workflow.

As Paubox integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, it brings an added layer of security on top of Google's native protections. Healthcare organizations benefit from hands-off compliance, consistent encryption, and strict inbound threat blocking, making it harder for attackers to exploit human error.

With Paubox, organizations don’t have to rely solely on caution, training, or manual checks. The platform actively reduces risk, strengthens HIPAA compliance, and helps ensure that phishing and spoofing emails never reach your Google Workspace inbox in the first place.

See also: 

• HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide (2025 Update)
• Inbound Security: Overview

FAQS

Can phishing still occur even with strong security tools?

Yes, but the goal of layered security is to drastically reduce risk. While tools like Google Workspace and Paubox filter out the majority of malicious messages, user awareness, MFA, and strong authentication practices are still essential to stop attackers who attempt to bypass technical controls.

What should I do if I suspect a phishing or spoofing email?

Do not click any links or download attachments. Verify the sender by contacting the organization directly using a phone number you find independently (not one provided in the message). Report the email to your IT or security team, and delete it from your inbox.

Does training really help reduce phishing risk?

Yes. Employees who understand how phishing and spoofing work are far less likely to fall for malicious messages. Regular awareness training, simulated phishing exercises, and clear reporting procedures are essential parts of a strong security program.