Google is adding a set of brand new, much stronger privacy settings for its accounts, specifically to combat cyber-crime. This new feature can now lock down your accounts like never before. And while some might complain about the inconvenience of it all, Google is a firm believer in better safe than sorry.
Google announced the launch of a new “advanced protection” setting for email security for Google accounts. The idea is to make it harder than ever for hackers to break into your sensitive data on Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, etc. This opt-in, ultra-secure mode is not necessarily intended for every day type of users. This is mainly for high-risk users. People and organizations who may face the threat of state-sponsored, highly resourced cyber-espionage at any moment. Google’s new advanced protection comes in the wake of a series of sophisticated hacking campaigns that have targeted Gmail accounts. Hackers have zeroed in on the accounts of journalists, activists, and political opponents of the Russian government.
The system is designed to reinforce every possible weak link that cyber-criminals can use to their advantage when they attempt to hack. When you login from a desktop, you will require a special USB key. Accessing your data from a mobile device will require a Bluetooth dongle. All non-Google services and apps will be expelled from reaching into your Gmail or Google Drive. Google’s malware scanners will use a more intensive process to quarantine and analyze incoming documents. What happens if you forget your username or password? Therein lies the rub. It can be a real pain in the butt to retrieve. This is the price of cyber-protection.
Google’s program secures a user’s account with a security key. USB security keys are considered a stronger tool for two-step verification than a texted or app-generated code. They provide reliable protection against phishing. It adds a bluetooth key, so that it works when logging in on a phone. Advanced Protection also blocks all non-Google apps from accessing your account. Protecting your email account, and all that comes with it, is worth the hassle if you are an important figure or run a major organization.
