Anyone who has ever had their Google account hacked can tell you how difficult it is to recover. You will spend hours or even days on it and no matter what you do recovery is not guaranteed.
Google Security Feature
On Wednesday, Google announced the addition of several new security features to protect you from being hacked and make account recovery easier.
A method that might remind you of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Just like that game, it involves calling a friend.
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Restore your Google Account with a trusted contact
Google is already rolling out the dubbed new features Introduction to RecoveryBut not everyone has them yet If they’re available, you’ll find them in the Security section of your Google Account settings
First, you add a trusted contact to your Google Account Follow this link. Obviously, you only want to use your most trusted contacts, such as a spouse or close friend. Your contact will receive an email letting them accept your invitation and that’s it.
Then, if your account is compromised, you’ll see an option to help your friend sign in They’ll see a prompt on their device, and once they’ve verified your identity, you’ll be allowed back into your account, where you can change your password and other credentials.
Note that this addition gives Google additional information about your connection to your selected contacts
“On the one hand, recovery contacts are a really good idea,” says CNET Senior Editor Lori Grunin. “On the other hand, it helps Google create a web of associations between people that it might not otherwise have, and it could potentially be abused.”
This is even if you enable these new features Enabling others is important As well, such as a recovery email, a recovery phone number, and two-factor authentication, since attacks are still possible with these new features.
Aaron Rose, manager of security architecture at Check Point Software, said Google’s new recovery features are well-intentioned. But if not managed carefully, they introduce a new attack surface.
Any system that relies on human trust (such as designating recovery contacts) can be socially engineered,” says Rose. “We’ve seen similar tactics used in business email compromise schemes, where emotional manipulation, not technology, is the entry point.”
Recover your Google Account with your phone number
One of the recovery contacts Several new features From Google that focuses on account security. In addition to the new “Phone a Friend” option, Google will let you restore an account with your phone number. If one is enabled, Google will ask for the PIN or pattern code of your previous device
Google Messages is also secure
Because scammers often use text messages to lure victims, Google has added some new protections to Google Messages as part of Latest security features. The first is a link-vetting feature that will alert you if Google Messages suspects a link you receive is spam. A warning will pop up informing you that the link has been blocked and you can avoid this by marking the message “Not Spam”.
“Google’s new security features are a strong step in the right direction,” said Lance Spitzner, director of SANS Workforce Cybersecurity Training. According to Spitzner, the link-vetting feature is helpful because it “can block access to known phishing websites before people are tricked.”
While these safeguards improve security, Spitzner said they “work best when combined with ongoing awareness and a healthy degree of skepticism toward unexpected messages or links.”
Another new feature is called Key Verifier. This little tool presents itself as a QR code that your trusted contacts can scan, allowing them to be verified through Google Messages.
Also, Google launched Be prepared for scamsA game that helps teach players how to spot potential scams.