{"id":48720,"date":"2016-03-30T09:49:42","date_gmt":"2016-03-30T16:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=48720"},"modified":"2025-08-31T22:34:45","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T05:34:45","slug":"gmail-security-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/gmail-security-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Email Hackers, Go Home! New Security Updates Come to Gmail"},"content":{"rendered":"

Email has been an integral part of our culture for more than two decades now. It seems like just yesterday Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan popularized the phrase \u201cYou\u2019ve Got Mail,\u201d and we witnessed the rise and fall of \u2018ancient\u2019 domains like Hotmail. Nowadays, the world of email looks a bit different. For one, nearly all of our online profiles and transactions rely on our email accounts. That means now more than ever, securing these accounts is critical. That also means new Gmail security updates<\/a> are worthy of some serious celebrations.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s always great to see big technology companies, like Google, not only create positive change, but also prioritize user safety. So, what are these new security features?<\/p>\n

The first one<\/a> prevents users from clicking on links to malicious websites. When Gmail identifies a website that might do harm to your computer, you\u2019ll be redirected to a warning page<\/a>. From there, several options are available. You can access information about the potentially harmful site, or education about protecting your device from similar risks. The ability to click the back button is always there, and for those feeling particularly confident or risky, you have the choice to proceed to the flagged site despite Gmail\u2019s warning.<\/p>\n

Secondly, Gmail is implementing a way to warn users of state-sponsored attacks<\/a>. Google states that this only affects 0.1% of their total users, as it will likely be restricted to people doing sensitive work such as journalism, activism, or policy-making\u2014making them prime targets of government hacks. Previously in these situations, Gmail would alert at-risk users of dangerous situations by displaying a red strip bearing a link across their screens. Now, the warning has been converted into a full page warning, which provides links to educational resources on how state-sponsored attack targets can protect themselves.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more? Google and other tech giants are pushing for industry-wide email encryption standards<\/a>. That\u2019s an admirable goal, and all involved companies deserve praise for their collective effort.<\/p>\n

Tips to Stay Secure While Using Your Email<\/h2>\n

While it\u2019s great to see these advances take place, we also need to accept personal responsibility for our online safety. Online tools, products and email providers aren\u2019t the only ones that should be getting security updates. We as individuals need to maintain up-to-date knowledge of cyberthreats and security best practices.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here are a couple tips for staying secure while you use email:<\/p>\n