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Is Google Drive Secure for Business? Find Answers Here!

Dave Miller with Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller – Tech Enthusiast & Security Expert – September 15th, 2022

is Google Drive secure for business use

Google Drive is one of many of Google’s popular and practical services, and many people are curious about whether is Google Drive secure for business. Due to security implementations and rules of security providers, cloud storage systems are often built from the ground up to be intrinsically secure.

Since everyone enjoys the ease of keeping data on the cloud since they can access it using any of your devices, it makes sense. It makes having security implementations essential.

The most outstanding security service providers often offer end-to-end encryption, but whether Google offers it is still a mystery to what you are looking for here.

Continue reading the post to learn more about how Google implements security measures and keeps up with its privacy policies for end-user protection.

Is Google Drive Secure for Business? Find Answers Here!

Google Drive – Cloud Storage

A popular collaborative and practical tool, Google Drive is a cloud service for storing files and synchronization created by Google. Drive has had more than 800 daily users since its introduction in 2012 and has saved terabytes of files.

Drive has undergone several adjustments and developed enormously over the past ten years, reaching 1 billion users globally and storing billions of files. The estimate is absurd, given that there is a 7.97 billion population around the globe.

Because of this fact, only you can appreciate how effectively Google Drive meets user demands. If you’re unfamiliar with Google Drive. It gives users 15 GB of free storage and control over the privacy settings for specific files and folders. Through optional premium options, it gets further enhanced.

Whether you use Google Drive for business or education, Google will automatically review any stored information to safeguard you with Google’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI). It is the primary reason for its success. Additionally, Google Drive and its built-in tools are free and easy for anybody to use, thanks to a fantastic, curated design and the best built-in collaboration features for businesses.

Google Drive Enterprise - Google Workspace

Google Workspace logo

The Google Workspace is a selection of cloud computing, productivity, and collaboration tools created for work and business purposes. So Google has not only targeted general audiences with their products. So, when Google Drive was already a success since it got released. Google Drive Enterprise got released as a corporate version as part of Google Workspace, and it got introduced two years after the first introduction of Google drive.

Note: In the majority of the countries and regions, Google Workspace is accessible. But in specific places, Google limits access to several commercial services. In these regions, Google services could be accessible for personal use only; business or educational usage get not permitted.

Numerous enhancements get included in it, including choices for limitless storage, sophisticated file audit reporting, improved administrative management, and new APIs designed especially for commercial usage. To protect the company’s data, it developed security measures. Endpoint management also gets used to secure data for lost devices or staff turnover. These give you more control over data holdings from specific Google Workspace applications for an entire domain or organizational unit.

Bonus Tip: Workspace got first offered as G Suite, but since the workplace today has no geographic restrictions, Google rebranded it. Additionally, Google disclosed that Workspace has over 2.6 billion active monthly users.

Since businesses are vulnerable to data breaches and cyberattacks, which may happen to any firm. Is Google Drive secure for business gets addressed when we look at the security aspects of Google Drive for the workplace.

Note: Not all businesses were interested in purchasing the whole Google workspace with various products. For these businesses, Google developed a separate solution, a standalone version of Google Drive under the Google Cloud Platform, which I will discuss later in this article.

Google Drive – Security Features

Google strongly emphasizes protecting user information, handling it responsibly, and preserving user control. The following are some of the most important things you should be aware of from Google’s explanation of how Drive safeguards your privacy and keeps you in command.

Stored Securely - Encryption

Any file you upload to Google Drive gets safely kept in one of Google’s server centers. Both in-transit and at-rest data are encrypted. The encryption used by Google is the industry-standard AES256 bit encryption, sometimes known as military-grade encryption.

It is the act of obscuring plaintext using the AES algorithm and an AES key length of 256 bits. Any user who has access to an encrypted file that got shared can decrypt it using a key that is specific to that file.

Additionally, client-side encryption may get enabled for businesses utilizing Google Drive through workplace plans. This added layer of security aims to minimize the possibility of data accessing the service provider. It makes it impossible for Google to decrypt your data.

Note: Your domain administrator of the Workspace can decide which groups and users are allowed to utilize encryption.

You will also have access to the version history for encrypted files that save up to 100 versions. Read the information in the link below for more details on how to exchange and collaborate on these protected files.

2-Step Verification

A tried-and-true method for preventing broad cyberattacks is two-step verification. You may erect an additional barrier between your company and cyber attackers by using 2-Step verification. Simply put, it is a technique for electronic authentication in which a person is only permitted access after successfully providing two or more pieces of proof to a device for authentication.

Fortunately, Google Workspace administrations may make it mandatory or optional for individuals who deal with your most sensitive corporate data.

Bonus Tip: You can buy FIDO U2F Security Key; it avoids requiring users to enter codes and is the most secure 2-Step Verification approach. You can also buy Titan Security Key from Google. It provides cryptographic proof that users are interacting with legitimate services. Additionally, it has a hardware chip incorporating Google-developed firmware to confirm that the credentials weren’t tampered with.

You can visit the link below for a guide to enabling the 2-Step verification.

Built-In Protections

To offer services with protection against malware, viruses, and other similar dangers. All files submitted to Google Drive get checked through built-in protections. Google will also immediately evaluate any files you get from outside your business. To keep you safe, Google will restrict your access to the file if it gets determined that there is a severe threat. To reduce danger to your devices, Google Drive’s built-in Virus Scanner tool prevents you from downloading potential viruses. Specific file formats cannot get scanned, and there is a 100MB scanning limit

Note. If Google determines that a Drive user has broken the Acceptable Use Policy, Google retains the authority to suspend the account immediately.

Data Privacy Policy

Google has made it clear that they do not gather, scan, or use the data from your Google Drive for marketing purposes. Additionally, uploaded data is still the owner’s property. That information gets not owned by Google nor sold to outside parties.

Bonus Tip: Moreover, when you go higher up the tier in workspace subscriptions. Advanced Endpoint Management and Vault are two security tools and controls in Workspace’s Business Plus licensing category.

Google Drive Learning Course

Nevertheless, using Google Drive is really simple. But frequently, people misunderstand how the instruments for collaboration function. Google created its Google Drive training and support program; as a result, to assist users in using Google Drive effectively. Therefore, the primary goal of the course’s design was to clarify the distinctions between My Drive and a Google shared Drive.

If you don’t already know, shared drives are specific Google Drive folders you may use to store, search for, and access files with a group of people. You will be able to establish and administer a Google shared Drive after taking this course and earn a badge. After the procedure, you will discuss a hypothetical Google Workspace customer’s problem to resolve their business challenge.

If you are trying to use Google Drive and want it done efficiently by moving data from your previous cloud provider. See the link below,

Can Google Drive Be Hacked - Is Google Drive Secure For Business?

Google has a considerably sized, highly skilled security staff that keeps an eye on its network and works to thwart attacks from the level of country states. It means that Google’s position as the leading technology corporation in the world is unnecessary. Therefore, it is unlikely that anyone would hack any of Google’s products. You can trust Google Drive to be secure.

Hackers and fraudsters have devised yet another clever scheme to trick you into falling for several online scams and attacks. They rely on technology that can get used to trick us into visiting dangerous websites. These websites may get used in phishing scams and malware distribution. Therefore, there are methods through users’ or organization negligence, rather than clients’ ends, that might hack to access your data into cloud storage.

Therefore, it is hard to dismiss the concerns about Google Drive hacks. So, there is a significant precaution you may take to prevent hacking efforts and up your cyber hygiene game

Google Cloud Platform

As was already said, not all company clients would choose a full membership for all tools of Google Workplace. The Google Cloud storage is a practical solution to handle this. Both of these features fall under the umbrella of Google and get used for data storage.

It runs on the same infrastructure Google employs internally for its end-user products. However, it was created for object storage so businesses of all sizes could store any quantity of data and access it whenever they wanted. Google Drive got made for personal data backups; however, developers use Google Cloud more frequently to save backups and resources when addressing issues.

Google Cloud automatically encrypts any customer material stored at rest without the user taking further steps. Google also employs many levels of encryption to safeguard data since doing so offers redundant data security.

Google's Products & Solutions

Google’s goal is to put the world’s knowledge in order, make it accessible to everyone, and make it helpful. Doing so has resulted in its market domination and continued commitment to this objective. Google LLC has enjoyed a very successful run with its many products aimed at the general public, making it one of the most valuable brands in the world. Google’s products address many different use cases. Still, regarding cloud storage, Google Drive is the product almost everyone uses to store their data. In the following section, I shall return to this. But let’s first talk about why the subject of whether is Google Drive secure for business is essential.

Due to their extensive network of products and solutions worldwide, it is tricky to keep up with the regulations of different regions, but typically Google performs a terrific job. However, it continues to face harsh criticism over things like privacy issues.

Google sharing user data to governments for tracking down criminals

Like many other businesses that provide customers with internet services, Google will get requests for access to users’ private account information. It frequently occurs in connection with official inquiries. Additionally, due to its top position, Google has drawn the attention of several cybercriminals worldwide

These issues do make questions concerning information on Google Security reasonable. Moreover, the foundation of Google’s business strategy is gathering as much data as possible on everything and everyone. It blatantly violates the principles of privacy.

I did get into the specifics of Google Drive security in this article; let me clarify that it’s undoubtedly one of Google’s most outstanding products.

Should You Use Google Drive? - Bottom Line

After reading the guide mentioned above, hopefully, you are confident that Google Drive is heavily fortified with security measures. It is appropriate for a standard-sized firm but not for influential organizations, as you should never depend on a single tool for data security in that case.

Anyway, Google Drive isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And the company has always been at the forefront of technological advancements. Therefore, cloud storage with the status of Google-like organizations is entirely secure as long as you do not make the error of exposing yourself to online risks.

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Dave Miller with Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller

IT Consultant at Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller is an IT Consultant for Online Cloud Security and has over 7 years of experience in the Information Technology space. He also specializes in repairing laptops & computers. In his spare time, he loves to talk about new technologies and hosts monthly IT and Cyber Security meetings in the Houston area.

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About Online Cloud Security:

Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information. 

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Online Cloud Security Logo (500x500px)

About Online Cloud Security

Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information. 

Recent Posts: