Google takes down Chinese hackers who used Sheets to spy
Google just took down a Chinese-linked hacker crew called Gallium (UNC2814), which had been targeting governments and telecom companies worldwide for years.
These hackers broke into 53 organizations across 42 countries, stealing personal info—like names, phone numbers, birth dates, and national IDs—by sneaking in a backdoor called GRIDTIDE.
Interestingly, they used Google Sheets to organize their attacks but didn't actually hack Google's own products.
The hackers ran a 'vast surveillance apparatus'
Google didn't just sit back—they shut down Gallium's cloud projects and accounts to stop the data theft.
As John Hultquist from Google's Threat Intelligence Group put it, the group ran a "vast surveillance apparatus," spying on people through call records and texts.
The Chinese Embassy has denied any involvement and says they want to work together on cybersecurity issues.
For anyone online today, it's a reminder that even everyday tools can be twisted for major cyberattacks—and that big tech is fighting back.