5 Easy Steps to Bolster your Google Drive Security

Posted by Tomas Cohen on October 6th, 2014

The latest in the news with respect to data breaches involve the unscrupulous hacking of private Gmail accounts, and to add to the newsworthiness of data security, many celebrities had private photos leaked by hackers. If you maintain a Google Drive account it is imperative that you take measures to secure this as well as you can. Since your Google Drive account can be accessed by PC, an Android phone or a tablet, there are some important Google Drive security steps you should take.

Two Step Verification

One of the first things you should consider is a two-step verification of your log in credentials. This involves utilizing your password and a secondary step that ensures a secure login. With two-step verification, you will receive a text message to your phone with a code after you type your password to log in to your Google Drive. Simply enter this code and you will be allowed access to your Drive. Setting up a two-step verification is a simple process that is laid out for you when you establish a new password for your Google Drive, and it is one of the simplest ways to ensure security for your Drive.

Encryption

Encryption is a process that protects files from being accessed by unauthorized users, and this can be accomplished with any available apps that are designed to allow you to encrypt your data. Boxcryptor is one such application and it can encrypt the files on your Google Drive so that only you are able to access them. This encryption can be accomplished from your phone, PC or tablet. The security standards are equivalent to AES-256 and RSA-4096. Boxcryptor is available as a free or paid version, and the free version limits the number of accounts and features that you can employ.

Wireless Security

Many people are unaware that when you utilize your Google Drive account on an unsecured wireless network it can be easily accessed by hackers. This risk is not limited to your Google Drive account either. Online shopping or online banking can get you in to trouble if you access them on an unsecured wireless network. If you are utilizing your cell phone and you must conduct sensitive online activities, you may be better off to utilize a 4G connection through your cell phone carrier.

Beware of App Permissions

Most apps will require that you grant permissions to the app provider to obtain access to certain information on your social media accounts, and if they request permission for your Google Drive account, you may be unknowingly granting access to your private files. If these permissions are acceptable to you then proceed with caution, but be sure to review permissions for apps that you no longer use. To accomplish this easily, go to accounts.google.com and then click on the security tab. Under “Account Permissions”, you can click “View All” and see which apps have access to your files. Be sure to revoke access to any that you no longer use.

Sharing Risks

It can be quite convenient to share folders and files with family, friends or colleagues; however, overzealous sharing can result in compromised security. You should always make sure that you are sharing files only with people who you know and trust. You should remember also that you could share as “view only” meaning that nobody can alter your files.
One thing to watch out for is the sharing of parent or “root” files. If you do this, the user will have access to all files contained within that parent file. Simply make sure that you are only sharing specific folders or subfolders.

The Google Drive service is a great way to utilize a cloud-like storage system but you must approach this with caution in order to ensure that your data is secure. These simple steps will help to eliminate any potential breaches.

Author:

Tomas Cohen is a security enthusiast and analyst covering the most significant security topics and trends prevalent worldwide. He also involves in the technology related to BoxWorks, Data Loss Prevention, Google Drive Security etc.,