Google Better Protects Users With Anti-Phishing Tools
Over the past few years, phishing has continued to increase. Unfortunately, the major tech companies have been unable to find ways to successfully combat and curb the problem. Consumers continually fall prey to phishing attempts each and every day. Finally, Google has taken steps to protect Gmail users from the devastating impact of a phishing attack. The company has decided to rely on Machine Learning technology to go to war with hackers. How will the new changes impact you? You’ll find out below.
Gmail And Machine Learning
Google has relied heavily on Machine Learning in the past. In fact, it has become one of Google’s most popular technologies. In a recent blog post, the company praised Machine Learning for helping the Gmail platform achieve 99% spam detection accuracy. The company has repeatedly taken steps to improve the system’s security for their users. It was truly only a matter of time, before they attempted to combat phishing with machine learning.
The Basics
Google has implemented new features that will protect users from malicious links. They’ve also updated older features to increase security. First and foremost, the company intends to install click-time warnings to make users aware of potentially malicious links. Users will also begin receiving warnings about unintentional external replies. Gmail has also received updates to its attachment system. Now, Gmail users will have further protections against malicious attachments.
G Suite Users Receive Protection From External Replies
The external reply protection is primarily beneficial for current G Suite users. This feature is capable of warning the user when they’re attempting to send emails outside of their list of contacts and their domains. The company insists the feature will be able to protect enterprises from forged email messages and impersonation. Simultaneously, Google believes the warning will prevent users from mistakenly sending emails to the wrong contacts. How does it work?
When G Suite users attempt to send an email to someone outside of their contacts or from a different company, they’ll receive a special warning. This will give the user enough time to recheck the email and determine whether or not an error was made.
Early Phishing Detection
Google also explained how their early phishing detection feature would work. They explained that Phishing attempts generally follow a predictable pattern, which can easily be picked up by Google’s new algorithm. The algorithm, which was designed by Gmail’s security experts, will flag and delay messages that are deemed to be suspicious. After a message has been delayed, it will be checked using other measures, including the company’s Safe Browsing technology and spam filter. These features determine whether or not the embedded links are safe.
This will typically cause the email’s delivery to be delayed for up to four minutes. Since the new feature is a work in progress, Gmail recommends using it with other anti-phishing software.
A Look Into The Future
Google has consistently taken steps to better protect their users. The new features are definitely a step in the right direction. In the future, it is almost certain that Google will incorporate machine learning and AI into even more of their security protocols.