Google announced Friday that registered Google Workspace users will now be able to send and receive encrypted emails both inside and outside their domain.
Once enabled, Gmail client-side encryption will ensure that even Google’s servers will not be able to decrypt any information sent as an attachment or part of an email.
Users of Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Google Meet, and Google Calendar already had access to client-side encryption (called E2EE by Google) (beta).
“With Google Workspace client-side encryption (CSE), content encryption is handled in the client’s browser before any data is transferred to Drive’s cloud-based storage,” Google says on its support website. to be moved or stored.”
“That way, Google’s servers can’t access your encryption keys and decrypt your data. After setting up CSE, you can choose which users can create client-side encrypted content. and can share it internally or externally.”
Users can apply for the beta until January 20, 2023. Submit your Gmail CSE beta test request with email address, project ID, and test group domain.
Gmail E2EE beta is currently available for Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard users.
This feature is not yet available to users with personal Google Accounts or Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, Frontline, and Nonprofits. This is also true for legacy G Suite Basic and Business users.
After the Google Email account is ready, administrators can set up Gmail CSE for their users by going through the following procedure to configure their environment, generating S/MIME certificates for each user in the test group. can, and configure the key service and identity provider
This feature will be turned off by default and can be enabled at the domain, organizational unit, and group level by going to Admin Console > Security > Access and Data Control > Client-Side Encryption.
Once enabled, you can toggle E2EE on for any message by clicking the lock icon next to the Recipients field and clicking “Turn On” under the “Additional Encryption” option.
You can then compose your Gmail message and add email attachments as you normally would.
“Google Workspace already uses the latest cryptographic standards to encrypt all data at rest and in transit between our facilities,” Google added.
“Client-side encryption helps strengthen the privacy of your data while helping to address a wide range of data privacy and compliance requirements.”
