Cloud based storage has been a highly useful piece of tech for most people because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing you to store your documents and data on a secure platform thereby freeing up space on your main device and hard drive. While the benefits of cloud based storage are hard to ignore, particularly from a professional cooperation standpoint, it brought its fair share of security hazards as well which was to be expected.
Malware in particular has become a major problem on platforms like Google Drive. Malicious actors often send innocuous looking files to people’s virtual and cloud based drives, and contained within these seemingly innocent files would be malware and other types of harmful programs. Some of these files try to steal your data in other ways by making themselves look official and honest while at the same time attempting to uncover things like your financial information, log in details and the like which poses a major cybersecurity risk.
Google is now attempting to tackle this phenomenon, and the manner in which it is attempting to do so is really quite simple. It basically involves a banner that you would see if you open up a file that throws up red flags. Form fields, macros and any type of request for financial information are some examples of red flags that would make Google Drive show you the banner, and the content of this banner would essentially warn you that this file might be trying to steal your data from you.
According to data from Netskope, Google Drive was the source of well over a third of all malicious downloads, or 37% to be precise. Hence, keeping users informed about risky or suspicious files could go a really long way towards keeping them safe from harm. More steps need to be taken, but this is definitely a good place to start and Google might be able to reduce the likelihood that someone would accidentally interact with malware or have their personal information stolen through an errant document or file that a suspicious individual sent to their Google Drive account.
Read next: Android Users Across Europe and Australia Suffer Devastating New Malware Attacks
Malware in particular has become a major problem on platforms like Google Drive. Malicious actors often send innocuous looking files to people’s virtual and cloud based drives, and contained within these seemingly innocent files would be malware and other types of harmful programs. Some of these files try to steal your data in other ways by making themselves look official and honest while at the same time attempting to uncover things like your financial information, log in details and the like which poses a major cybersecurity risk.
Google is now attempting to tackle this phenomenon, and the manner in which it is attempting to do so is really quite simple. It basically involves a banner that you would see if you open up a file that throws up red flags. Form fields, macros and any type of request for financial information are some examples of red flags that would make Google Drive show you the banner, and the content of this banner would essentially warn you that this file might be trying to steal your data from you.
According to data from Netskope, Google Drive was the source of well over a third of all malicious downloads, or 37% to be precise. Hence, keeping users informed about risky or suspicious files could go a really long way towards keeping them safe from harm. More steps need to be taken, but this is definitely a good place to start and Google might be able to reduce the likelihood that someone would accidentally interact with malware or have their personal information stolen through an errant document or file that a suspicious individual sent to their Google Drive account.
Read next: Android Users Across Europe and Australia Suffer Devastating New Malware Attacks