Google further improves Gmail’s security on all platforms
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Gmail is already a safe email app, but it’s far from being perfect and Google is aware of that. The most recent update introduces a brand-new technology that Google is still refining, which further improves malicious document detection.
Google’s security technology is using deep learning, a term that’s been tied by many software developed in the last couple of years. In a fairly technical blog post, Google explains how the new changes will affect Gmail and what other improvements are expected to be added in the future.
First off, Gmail already protects its users from malicious software that’s usually transmitted via Office documents, but thanks to Google’s new technology, the app can do that even better. Google launched a new scanner at the end of last year, which is supposed to increase the detection of Office documents packed with malicious scripts by 10 percent.
According to Google, nearly 60 percent of the malware targeting Gmail users is represented by malicious documents, which is why the Mountain View company is so determined to find a way to prevent these emails to reach your Inbox.
Gmail’s new scanner is an extra layer of security and will run at the same time with the already existing detection capabilities. Google’s approach to the problem seems to be the development of multiple scanners, each dedicated to particular tasks and working in parallel to find and remove all malicious content targeting Gmail users.
These scanners use artificial intelligence, another piece of technology that’s been the cornerstone of developing faster and better software. Google will continue to use artificial intelligence with the purpose of protecting Gmail users’ inboxes, so this is probably a taste of what’s to come.
Questions & Answers
Q.What percentage of malware affecting Gmail users is transmitted through malicious documents?
What percentage of malware affecting Gmail users is transmitted through malicious documents?
Nearly 60 percent of the malware targeting Gmail users originates from malicious documents. This is why Google is focusing its efforts on improving detection for these types of threats within the app.
Q.What technology underpins Google's new security improvements for Gmail?
What technology underpins Google's new security improvements for Gmail?
Google's updated security technology employs deep learning, a method increasingly used by software developers. This approach, alongside artificial intelligence, helps to identify and counteract malicious content more effectively.
Q.How much more effective will the new scanner be at detecting malicious Office documents?
How much more effective will the new scanner be at detecting malicious Office documents?
Google's new scanner, launched late last year, is expected to increase the detection rate of Office documents containing malicious scripts by 10 percent. It functions as an additional security layer.
Q.How does the new scanner interact with existing security features in Gmail?
How does the new scanner interact with existing security features in Gmail?
The new scanner operates as an extra layer of security, running concurrently with Gmail's already established detection capabilities. Google is developing multiple parallel scanners for specific tasks.
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