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Anyone whose Google account has been hacked can tell you how difficult it can be to recover. You will spend hours or even days on this, and recovery will not be guaranteed, no matter what you do.
Google on Wednesday announced the addition of several new security features to help prevent you from being hacked and make account recovery easier.
One method may remind you of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Just like in that game, it involves calling a friend.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased technical content and lab reviews. Add CNET As Google’s preferred source.
Recover your Google Account through a trusted contact
Google is already rolling out the new dubbed features Recovery contactsBut not everyone has it yet. If it’s available, you’ll find it in the Security section of your Google Account settings.
First, you can add a trusted contact to your Google Account by By following this link. Obviously, you want to only use your most trusted contacts, like a spouse or close friend. Your contact will receive an email asking them to accept your invitation, which they have done.
Then, if your account is compromised, you’ll see the option to ask your friend to help you 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.
Remember, this extension gives Google additional information about your connection to your chosen contact.
“On the one hand, Recovery Contacts is a really good idea,” said CNET senior editor Lori Gronin. “On the other hand, it helps Google build a network of connections between people, which it may not have had, and which could potentially be abused.”
Even if you enable these new features, this… It is important to empower others Additionally, such as recovery email, recovery phone number, and two-factor authentication, since attacks are still possible with these new features.
Aaron Rose, director of security engineer at Check Point Software, said Google’s new recovery features are well-intentioned. But if not carefully managed, they provide a new attack surface.
“Any system that relies on human trust (such as appointing recovery contacts) can be socially engineered,” Rose said. “We have 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
Recovery Contacts is one of the Many new features From Google which focuses on account security. In addition to the new “Call a friend” option, Google will also let you recover an account using your phone number. If enabled, Google will ask for your previous device’s PIN or pattern code.
Google Messages is also more secure
Since scammers often use text messages to lure victims, Google has added some new protections in Google Messages as part of its program Latest security features. The first is a link checking feature that will warn you if Google Messages suspects a link you’ve received is spam. An alert will pop up letting you know the link has been blocked, and you can get around this by marking the message as “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 checking feature is useful because it “can block access to known phishing sites before people are scammed.”
While these protections improve safety, Spitzner said they “work best when combined with constant awareness and a healthy dose of skepticism toward unexpected messages or connections.”
The other new feature is called Key Verifier. This little tool offers a QR code that your trusted contacts can scan, thus verifying them using Google Messages.
Google also launched Be prepared to be scammeda game that helps teach players how to recognize potential scams.