Google has announced that its workspace apps, which include Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings will now show a warning banner when you open potentially malicious files from the web.
According to The Verge, the warning banner already appears when potentially dangerous files are accessed from within the Drive. It also appears if suspicious links are opened within separate Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings files.
While according to ZD Net, the expansion of warning banners to workspace apps follows the introduction of the same banners to Google Drive files in January.
With the intent to help protect users and their organizations from malware, phishing and ransomware, Google rolled out the banner alerts to all Drive users globally.
Warning Banner Is an Attempt To Combat Scams
The warning banners appear to be the tech giant's attempt to combat scams that use Google's office productivity software to create a layer of authenticity around dodgy links and phishing attempts, according to The Verge.
In 2020, Wired reported that scammers are luring people into Google Drive documents in an attempt to get them to visit potentially malicious websites.
When you click a link in one of the documents, it will send you to a site filled with dodgy ads, or a typical phishing site asking you to enter bank or other account details.
The new warning banner is rolling out over the next couple of weeks to all accounts, business and personal alike, according to Google.
Google Ensures Users' Safe Browsing Experience
In Google Drive, after a user has clicked on a link, a yellow banner might appear at the top of the page. But this is before the file is downloaded.
The warning will state that the file looks suspicious and "might be used to steal your personal information."
This warning banner ensures that users will have a safe browsing experience, protected from dodgy links and phishing attempts.
In October 2021, Google announced during the Google Cloud Next 2021 conference that the warning banner functionality for Docs was already available, and would be rolling out soon for Sheets and Slides, according to ZD Net.
Then in January, Google said the banners were already available in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings.
"Previously, we announced warning banners for potentially malicious or dangerous files in Google Drive. We're extending these warnings at the file-level, going forward, if you open a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides file on the web, you'll see these warnings," Google announced this week in a Workspace Updates blogpost.
The warning banners will be a gradual rollout starting April 27, 2022 for business customers.
The feature will available to all Google workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers, according to the Google blog post.
Google is an American multinational technology company that focuses on artificial intelligence, search engine, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, and consumer electronics.
Google has been called the "most powerful company in the world" and is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.
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