Google recently announced at its annual developer conference, Google I/O, that it would expand its dark web report feature to all Gmail users in the US. Until now, this feature has only been available to Google One subscribers. According to The Verge, Google said it would eventually expand the service to “select international markets” but did not specify which ones and when.
How the dark web report works
The dark web report feature works by scanning the dark web for a user’s personal information and informing them if anything is found. Google will then advise them on the next steps to take to deal with the breach. To activate the report, you need to set up a profile and choose the information you want the report to scan for, such as your name, address, Social Security number, phone number, email, username, and password. The amount of information you can monitor depends on the type of Google One plan you have. It’s not yet clear how it will work with Gmail users.
If the report finds any of your information, it will alert you immediately and provide specific recommendations based on the type of breach. This includes setting up two-factor authentication for your account, advice on reporting a stolen social security number, and reporting a stolen credit card. It will also provide general guidance on protecting this sensitive data so that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands again.
As we regularly mention on the SSLs.com blog, personal data is ultra-valuable to online threat actors. It can be used for identity theft, banking fraud, and more. So, a service like this is invaluable to anyone. Hopefully, it will be expanded beyond US users sooner rather than later.
Other announcements
The dark web report expansion wasn’t the only security feature to be discussed at Google I/O. The tech giant also announced other security features it plans to roll out across its products. It will add the spam protection feature of Gmail to Google Drive. So if someone shares a file with you containing spam or unwanted content, you can easily report it to Google. Other future planned security additions include adding video content to the company’s Content Safety API and a Maps feature allowing users to delete recent searches with a single tap.
Google hasn’t yet specified an exact release date for many of these features, so stay tuned.
Cora is a digital copywriter for SSLs.com. Having eight years of experience in online content creation, she is a versatile writer with an interest in a wide variety of topics, ranging from technology to marketing.