Google has unveiled a protection feature for emails keeping in mind the users in high profile places like journalists, government officials and activists. Any person can avail of this Google Advance Protection, but it is specially catering to those who need special protection from people hacking into their emails. Those who are prone to online attacks and at a higher security risk whereby their information is stolen, can avail of these security features introduced by Google.
The Google Advance Protection that was introduced is mainly focused on providing security against phishing and accounts being fraudulently accessed. The main groups that the new Google Advance Protection targets those who require protection of their sources, specially the journalists, Activists and those running election campaigns. Any of the Google users too can chose to have these security settings to protect their Gmail, Google Drive or YouTube data from being hacked.
The Google Advance Protection program utilizes Security Keys. You need to sign into your account using the Security Keys, which is a USB or a wireless device. With this feature, Google has come out with a greater security for email users in preventing their work from being stolen or hacked into.
For a desktop, the Google Advance Protection requires you to put in a USB device, which is a way of verifying the user’s identity. For a mobile user, a Bluetooth wireless device needs to be used. Those using the Google Advance Protection program will also have the added protection from all non-Google applications like Apple iOS mail client and Outlook.
The Google Advance Protection involves a two-step verification. A public key cryptography and digital signatures are used to confirm the identity of the user. In case a user loses access to his account, the Google Advance Protection will also ensure that he is able to recover his account. The measures taken will be so stringent that the recovery process will consider reviews and requests about the reason why the user has lost access to his account.
Google introduced the Google Advance Protection program after the high profile elections that took place in the US in 2016. There were hacks into the Gmail accounts of Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager John Podesta. It was believed to be hacked by Russia, who tried to help Donald Trump win the 2016 US elections. It was believed that if Podesta, the campaign chief, had The Google Advance Protection at that time, the results of the elections could have told a different story.
The Google Advance protection feature helps to protect all those in high profile jobs and high-risk users from their mails being hacked and undue advantage being taken. It would also prevent frauds. There may be a bit of compatibility issues for those who have already installed security tools with their Google products.
Google has provided its users with additional information of how to install the Google Advance Protection by creating a web page for that purpose. They have also helped its users of showing them where to buy USB and Bluetooth wireless keys on Amazon.
