Gmail End-to-End Encryption Beta Testing Expanded for Select Workspace Users: All Details

Gmail will allow more customers to gain beta access to the company’s end-to-end encryption feature for its email messaging service, which is a part of Google Workspace. The company’s encryption technology provides an added layer of security to emails and attachments on the Web. Google last year announced that it would bring client-side encryption software by giving users control over the encryption keys and who will have access to their data last year. The service has announced that it will allow more users to apply to beta-test the feature.

Google announced via a blog post that the company is expanding beta access to its client-side encryption (CSE) in Gmail on the Web, for select customers on Google Workspace Enterprise and Education plans.

As of now, Google offers a beta version of CSE on Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Google Meet, and Google Calendar. The feature was added to Google Drive in 2021.

According to the company, eligible customers of Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard can apply to participate in the beta testing until January 20 next year, via Google’s support center. Once rolled out, users will be able to choose to enable end-to-end encryption by selecting a padlock button when writing an email.

“Google Workspace already uses the latest cryptographic standards to encrypt all data at rest and in transit between our facilities,” Google stated. This means that while Google does encrypt user data as it travels to the company’s servers, the company is able to access the contents of the data. CSE eliminates customer privacy concerns by ensuring that only the sender and recipient have the encryption keys to access the data.

Meanwhile, Google on Monday announced new fraud detection techniques for its UPI-based payment app Google Pay as part of the search giant’s efforts to make digital payments more secure in the country. A new feature on Google Pay will alert users in India of any suspicious activities on their accounts by using multi-layered warnings. The app will use machine learning to flag fraudulent activity or suspicious payment requests and flash a warning to users to protect them from fraud on the payment platform.