Google has rolled out a series of online security
enhancements across its services, introducing more personalised security checkups for
user accounts and additional phishing protections in its Chrome browser.
The revamped checkup service will now include personalised
guidance for each user, instead of the same checklist for all accounts, and
will evolve as new threats arise, according to Google’s security checkup
product manager Yafit Becher.
“When you visit the checkup, you’ll automatically see your
security status – a green check mark icon means you’re good to go, and a yellow
or red exclamation point icon means there’s at least one issue for you to take
care of,” he said.
Alongside this, Google has also
added an advanced protection option for a “minority of our users”
that are considered particularly at risk of being on the receiving end of a
targeted attack.
Dario Salice, advance protection
product manager, said these might be campaign staffers working on an
election, journalists protecting their sources, or people fleeing abusive
relationships.
This programme will focus on three
defences: firstly, using physical security keys to provide two-factor
authentication; secondly, automatically limiting application access to Gmail
and Drive accounts; and thirdly, enhanced steps to prevent attackers from
accessing a user account by pretending you have been locked out, although it
means users will have to go through additional steps to recover their Google
accounts if they are genuinely locked out.
“Advanced Protection provides Google’s strongest security, designed for
those who are at an elevated risk of attack and are willing to trade off a bit
of convenience for more protection of their personal Google Accounts,” said
Salice.
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