Online life becomes more and more difficult, due to the numerous cybercriminals who crowd the Net and make no distinctions between their goals. Whether it’s celebrities, famous people, or ordinary citizens, we are all more or less easy targets to aim for. On the occasion of Safer Internet Day, the world day for network security, Google announces important news and reminds us of the importance of adopting some existing solutions to considerably reduce the risks deriving from online activities.
Two-factor authentication
Google services are increasingly the basis of our lives, from the use of a payment system to access to online lessons or a store on the Net. Gmail is probably the most used service in this sense and for this reason, Google has decided to make it more secure, to ensure maximum peace of mind for its users.
Since last year, two-factor authentication has been made mandatory, which requires, in addition to the password, an alternative method of recognition. This adds a level of security to make life more difficult for cybercriminals, so much so that a 50% reduction in the number of compromised accounts has already been observed.
This does not mean that two-factor authentication is the panacea for all evils, but it is a valid starting point for greater security. Google is pushing for the adoption of physical security keys, able to offer the maximum possible security when it comes to access from a computer, but it is also making progress in the mobile world, with numerous advanced functions.
Google strongly recommends carrying out a security checkup, using the appropriate guide accessible at this address, to change the compromised passwords and resolve any problems with the devices connected to your Google account. If you haven’t already activated two-factor authentication, and you don’t want to wait for Google to automatically activate it, you can follow these instructions and protect yourself from numerous threats.
And if you are afraid of forgetting the passwords used for your services, Google and not, you can rely on Google Password Manager, already included in Chrome but also in Android and in the Google App. This way you can create passwords that are strong enough not to be stolen and store them in your account, so you don’t even have to remember them.
In this way, you will not be forced to always use the same password for fear of forgetting it, with the risk of seeing all your services compromised if someone manages to discover it.
Your information safe
In order to educate users to pay more attention to security, Google has announced a partnership with Khan Academy, a non-profit organization that will develop free lessons to teach people how to defend against online threats. In 2021 alone, research on methods to stop identity theft grew by 110%, a symptom of users’ need for greater security.
Ahead of the upcoming mid-term elections in the US, Google has announced a series of new measures to protect users most at risk, such as journalists, activists and polling staff. In this way, both candidates and their staff will be able to receive valuable information on how to move safely online.
Big G’s commitment is not only aimed at the US market but also at the global one, in collaboration with the International Foundation for Electoral System, in order to make election campaigns safer and prevent fraud and disinformation.
And from next month anyone will be able to access the new safe browsing function, active at the account level, to keep each user safe from the dangers that jeopardize the security of our data every day. The feature can be activated from your account settings or by performing a security check.
Privacy in the hands of the user
And what about the use of personal data? Google has created the Privacy Checkup, a tool that allows you to monitor the data collected and the use made of it. We will thus discover which applications can access our data, perhaps because consent has been inadvertently provided, and it will be possible to obtain greater control in this sense, to minimize the circulation of some personal information.
In the coming months, Google Assistant Guest Mode support will be expanded to nine additional languages, to allow more users to use smart displays or speakers anonymously, without their activities being saved and linked to their Google account. for more privacy.
When it launched the VPN by Google One service, the American company thought of greater security for Android users, but now this function is also being rolled out for iOS users, involving users who have activated the 2 TB plan. or higher, just like Android devices.
And for Google Fi users it will soon be possible to share their location with a family member, so as to always be traceable, a function that can also be activated for a limited period of time.
Do not waste time and run to secure your Google account, to ensure that your security lasts throughout the year and not just for today.