On August 23rd, there was an important message on the official Google Workspace updates page. It said that people who use Gmail should turn on “two-factor verification” as soon as possible. This is because Google is now introducing a special system to keep accounts safe. This system will send a serious warning if something sensitive happens in a Gmail account, so the account owner can stay protected.
New Security Applies To Specific Gmail Sensitive Actions
The actions that Google is talking about are related to three specific things in Gmail:
Creating, editing, or importing a filter.
- Putting a new forwarding address using settings for Post Office Protocol or Internet Access Message Protocol.
- Turning on IMAP access from settings.
What Happens If You Perform A Sensitive Action In Gmail?
Google mentioned that it will check the session that’s trying to do these actions to see how risky it is. They didn’t explain exactly how they do this, probably to make it harder for bad people to trick the system. But if one of those important actions seems unsafe, Gmail will show a message asking for more proof that you’re really you. To do this, you might need to do something extra to confirm, like typing in a special code from an app, a text message, or a call. You can also use Google Prompts or a special key for security.
If you don’t finish the extra check they ask for, or if something goes wrong and you can’t do it, Gmail will send a serious security alert to all the devices you’ve marked as safe. This way, you can double-check if everything’s okay or do what’s needed to make your Gmail safe if something’s not right.
08/25 update: In a blog on the official Google Workspace blog, Yule Kwan Kin and Andy Wen, who are important people in charge of product stuff, talked about how they’re making AI help with keeping things safe and private for organizations. They said that Google Workspace was built in a way that puts safety first, using cloud technology and smart AI defenses to protect against threats.
This new update tells us about fresh controls for zero-trust, digital ownership, and protecting against threats. And all of this is thanks to Google’s smart AI.
Google’s AI will work on its own to sort out and name the stuff you have in Google Drive. This will help put protection on the data, like stopping it from being lost and only letting certain people access it, all according to the rules.
They’ve also made improvements to how data is protected on your own devices. Now, you can use encryption for Calendar, Gmail, and Meet on mobile apps too.
In addition to the extra security for important Gmail actions, Google is going to make two-factor verification (2FA) a must for certain big business administrators. They will start doing this later this year. At the beginning, it will apply to specific admin accounts of big customers and companies that sell Google services. Another change coming later this year, but in a test version, is that when doing certain important things like changing 2FA settings, more than one administrator will need to agree. This means if one admin wants to do, another admin needs to say it’s okay for it to happen.
What Gmail Users Need To Do Now
If you’re a regular Gmail user, you don’t have to do anything special to set up this new important security alert. If Google sees that something important you’re doing might not be safe, it will show a message to make sure it’s really you.
However, Google suggests that if you haven’t done it yet, you should turn on 2FA for your Gmail. This is to get ready in case they ask you to verify things. It’s not tough to do, and you can find all the steps right here. Turning on 2FA is a smart idea because it stops bad people from taking control of your Google account. It’s a no-brainer for staying safe.
Google recommends that people who manage Workspace accounts go to the help center to find out what choices they have. They can even learn how to temporarily stop those messages that ask you to confirm your login.
The new system is just beginning to be introduced, but it might be around a week or two before you actually see those messages pop up.
Bottom Line
Google is boosting Gmail security with new alerts and AI-driven protections. Important actions might need extra verification. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is strongly advised for added safety. Google will make it mandatory for some business admins and require approval for certain actions. The changes aim to keep your Google account more secure.
