Users of the Google Drive file sync app will now see warning banners if they open a potentially suspicious file.
Google Drive is Google’s cloud storage service that also offers a complete online office suite with word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and more. Collaborative work has never been easier.
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- Release date : 01/18/2022
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These new alerts have been rolled out globally for Workspace Google Drive users. They aim to protect users and their organizations against malware, phishing and ransomware.
Alerts appear in a yellow banner at the top of the page when the user clicks on a link, but before the file is downloaded. The warning says the file looks suspicious and “could be used to steal your personal information.”
Last year, Google shut down a massive Russian hacking network
Google notes that “if a user opens a potentially suspicious or dangerous file in Google Drive, a warning banner [s’affichera] to protect him and his business from malware, phishing, and ransomware.”
Google Workspace users should be familiar with banner security alerts, which arrived in Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drawings earlier this year as protection against abusive content and behavior.
This additional alert should help protect Google Workspace users from cybercriminals who use Google Drive to distribute malicious files.
Last year, Google shut down a massive Russian hacking ring that was hijacking YouTube accounts using malicious PDF files shared with the targets via email and in Google Drive.
New suspicious file alerts are enabled by default
The new banner alerts are separate from the alerts that Google sends to users targeted by suspected state-sponsored hackers. In 2021, these types of alerts issued by Google to Workspace users increased by 33% over the previous year, reaching more than 50,000. This increase is mainly due to campaigns led by the Russian actor APT28 or Fancy Bear. Groups like Iran’s APT35 also use Google Drive among other tools to spread malicious PDFs.
The new suspicious file alerts are enabled by default, which means that neither administrators nor users need to enable this feature. It cannot be disabled. It’s available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers.
Separately, Google recently started incentivizing free G Suite users to upgrade to a paid Workspace subscription. It also encourages G Suite Basic Edition users and Business Edition users to upgrade to a Workspace subscription. These customers can expect to be contacted by Google in the “next few months” to begin the transition.
Source: ZDNet.com