Google recently officially launched a new security upgrade for Google Drive, focusing on the two major functions of “ransomware detection” and “batch file recovery”. These two tools were first unveiled in beta form last September and are now finally fully available to general users. Google said that the improved detection model can identify more malicious activities than before and can more effectively help users defend against ransomware attacks.
Google Drive on PC now scans uploaded files for ransomware
The core of this update is the active protection mechanism. If your computer has the desktop version of Google Drive installed, the system will now continuously monitor file activity in the background. Once suspicious behavior is detected, such as a large number of files being encrypted or abnormally modified in a short period of time, the application will immediately suspend the synchronization operation. The purpose of this design is to prevent infected files from being synchronized to the cloud, thereby contaminating the data of the entire account. When a potential threat is detected, the user will receive a notification on the desktop; if you belong to an organization, the system will also send a warning email to the administrator simultaneously, allowing the enterprise to take early action.
In addition to the detection function, Google also launched a very practical tool: batch file recovery. In the past, when encountering ransomware attacks, users often had to open the version history of files one by one and manually restore each file to an uninfected state. This was not only time-consuming, but also prone to missing important data. The new batch recovery function can restore a large number of files to previous versions at one time, greatly reducing the time cost of post-disaster processing and eliminating the need for users to pay ransom due to attacks.
Google said that for eligible accounts, ransomware detection is enabled by default, but officials still recommend that users reconfirm the settings with enterprise administrators to ensure that the protection mechanism is indeed working. If you are a Google Workspace administrator, you can turn this feature on or off directly in the management console and adjust security policies according to your organization’s needs.
While batch file recovery is now fully available to all users, including free personal Google accounts, proactive ransomware detection is currently only available on paid plans. If you want to enable complete detection capabilities, you must subscribe to higher-level Workspace packages such as Business Standard and Enterprise Plus.
Finally, Google also reminds users that these new features are only available in Drive PC version 114 or later, so if you want to get the latest security protection, be sure to make sure the applications on your computer are updated to the latest version. Overall, this update represents Google’s important progress in cloud data security. In the face of increasingly rampant ransomware attacks, it can prevent the spread of infection as soon as possible and provide quick recovery tools, which are critical protection measures for individuals and enterprises. As cloud storage has become an important foundation for daily work and life, the introduction of such active security features will undoubtedly allow users to rely on cloud services with greater peace of mind.
Source: KOCPC Chinese