Key points

• Google Workspace comes with a suite of built-in security features, but users share the responsibility of ensuring their data is secure.
• Phishing attacks, device and account connections, encryption concerns, and third-party app integrations are all potential vulnerabilities.
• Data breaches can be costly, lead to legal issues, and damage an organisation’s reputation.
• See how secure your Google Drive account is in seconds with Metomic's FREE Google Drive Scanner. Discover who still has access to your files and who they were created by. Find risky files exposed publicly to anyone on the internet.

Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, includes tools you’re probably already familiar with.

Whether you have a Gmail account, use Google Drive or collaborate regularly on Google Docs, these tools have become indispensable for many, for both personal and professional use. They help teams communicate and work together seamlessly, no matter where they are.

But with this convenience comes the need for comprehensive security. Cyber threats are getting more sophisticated, and a data breach can lead to significant financial losses and reputational damage (more on that later).

And securing Google Workspace isn’t just about keeping hackers out; it’s also about managing internal risks, like misconfigured settings or accidental sharing of sensitive data.

Is Google Workspace secure?

First off, Google Workspace comes with some impressive built-in security features. These include advanced spam filtering, phishing detection, and powerful encryption for data in transit and at rest. It also offers two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts.

However, Google operates on a shared responsibility model of security. It provides you with solid security tools and a strong foundation, but it’s up to you, the user, to use these effectively.

This means setting up strong passwords, regularly reviewing account sharing permissions, and staying vigilant against phishing attempts.

It’s also important to consider compliance. Google Workspace offers a few tools to help you meet your regulatory requirements, such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and access control mechanisms.

However, ensuring full compliance often requires additional steps and ongoing management on your part.

Common security risks in Google Workspace

Even with Google Workspace’s built-in security features, there are still common risks that you need to be aware of.

Let’s break down these key vulnerabilities.

1. Phishing and social engineering attacks

Phishing and social engineering attacks are a perennial threat. According to the Egress Email Security Risk Report 2024, a staggering 94% of organisations suffered phishing attacks.

These attacks target users directly, tricking them into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links. It’s a persistent threat that needs constant vigilance, and user education.

2. Device and account connections

Next up, device and account connections. With the rise of remote working, more devices are connecting to company networks than ever before.

Around 60% of the endpoints in the average company are mobile devices. If you then take into account that 70 million smartphones are lost or stolen every year, and only about 7% of them are ever recovered, you can see the scope of the potential problem.

Each lost device potentially exposes company data, making it crucial to manage and secure these connections effectively.

3. Risks associated with multiple accounts

The average enterprise uses a whopping 1,295 cloud services Each service and account helps to expand the potential attack surface for hackers and other malicious threat actors, increasing the likelihood of unauthorised access, if access to your corporate network isn’t managed properly.

4. Encryption concerns

Without strong encryption measures in place to protect sensitive data, that data is at greater risk of being intercepted and misused by malicious actors. Despite this, only 42% of organisations use encryption to secure their customer data.

5. Third-party app integrations

Lastly, consider third-party app integrations. These are convenient, and can help streamline a lot of working processes. However, they also run the risk of introducing new vulnerabilities outside of your organisation’s control.

Breaches that have taken place so far in 2024 due to third-party applications include attacks on UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare, Bank of America via Infosys McCamish, and American Express. Each integration needs to be carefully managed and monitored to prevent potential security lapses.

What are the potential consequences of security risks?

Understanding the common security risks in Google Workspace is one thing, but appreciating the potential impact of these risks is crucial for motivating your team to implement comprehensive security measures.

Let’s dive into the consequences.

1. Potential consequences of data breaches

Data breaches can have severe financial implications. The global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45 million. This figure encompasses various costs, including lost business, regulatory penalties, and the expense of addressing the breach itself.

For many organisations, such a financial hit can be devastating, potentially leading to layoffs, budget cuts, or even bankruptcy.

2. Legal and regulatory implications

Beyond the immediate financial impact, data breaches also carry significant legal and regulatory consequences. Compliance with regulations like GDPR, for example, is not optional, and the penalties for non-compliance can be harsh.

You only need to look at this list of the 20 largest GDPR fines so far to see that non-compliance is a serious issue. These fines can reach into the millions, further compounding the financial damage of a data breach.

3. Financial and reputational risks

Finally, let’s not overlook the long-term financial and reputational risks. Trust is a critical asset for any business, and data breaches can severely damage it. According to studies, 66% of consumers would not trust a company following a data breach.

This loss of trust can translate into lost customers, decreased sales, and a tarnished brand reputation that can take years to repair.

7 Best practices and strategies for securing Google Workspace

To mitigate the risks associated with using Google Workspace, it’s essential to implement best practices that strengthen your organisation’s security posture.

Here are some key strategies to consider:

1. Strengthening access controls

Effective access control is fundamental to securing your data. By ensuring that only authorised personnel have access to sensitive data, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorised access and data breaches.

In fact, 70% of companies with good access controls in place see less than 5 incidents yearly. This involves regularly reviewing and updating access permissions, especially when employees change roles or leave the company.

2. Implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two or more verification steps before granting access to data or resources.

MFA is remarkably effective, being 99.9% effective in preventing modern automated cyberattacks, 96% effective in stopping bulk phishing attempts, and 76% effective in stopping targeted attacks. By implementing MFA, you can make it much more difficult for attackers to compromise user accounts.

3. Monitoring and auditing account activity

Regular monitoring and auditing of account activity can help to detect unusual behaviour that could indicate a security threat. Set up alerts for suspicious activities, such as multiple failed login attempts or access from unusual locations.

Regular audits can also help to ensure compliance with internal security policies and identify potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

4. Regular data backups

Maintaining regular backups of your data is crucial. In the event of a cyberattack, data corruption, or accidental deletion, having up-to-date backups means that you can quickly restore your information, minimising downtime.

Make sure your backup strategy includes both on-site and off-site storage to protect against various disaster scenarios like fire or flooding.

5. Employee education and awareness training

Human error is the leading cause of security breaches. Providing regular security awareness training for your employees can drastically reduce the risk of phishing and other social engineering attacks.

In fact, 80% of organisations said that security awareness training reduced staff susceptibility to phishing attacks. Educate your team to recognise suspicious emails, create strong passwords, and follow best practices for data security.

6. Utilising Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools

Data Loss Prevention (DLP tools for Google Workspace help prevent sensitive information from being accidentally or maliciously shared outside the organisation. These tools can identify, monitor, and protect data in use, in motion, and at rest.

By implementing DLP, you can enforce policies that protect your most critical data from leaks and unauthorised access.

7. Additional encryption measures

While Google Workspace provides encryption for data in transit and at rest, adding an extra layer of encryption can further strengthen your security posture.

Consider using third-party encryption tools that offer zero-knowledge encryption, ensuring that only authorised users can access the data, even if the storage provider is compromised.

Enhancing Google Workspace security with third-party tools

While Google Workspace offers a solid foundation of built-in security features, enhancing these with third-party tools can provide an additional layer of protection.

Third-party security solutions, like Metomic for Google Drive, offer advanced features that can complement and enhance the security of your Google Workspace environment.

These tools are designed to address specific security challenges that Google’s native tools don’t support, and may provide you with more granular control over your data.

Benefits of using third-party security platforms

Integrating third-party security platforms with Google Workspace can offer several benefits:

• Advanced threat detection and response: Many third-party tools provide superior threat detection capabilities, using AI and machine learning to identify and respond to threats in real-time.
• Enhanced data protection: Solutions often include features like advanced encryption, DLP, and comprehensive data auditing to ensure that sensitive information is securely managed.
• Improved compliance: Third-party tools can help ensure compliance with industry regulations by providing detailed reporting and audit capabilities, ensuring that your organisation meets legal and regulatory requirements.
• Customised security policies: These platforms allow for the creation of tailored security policies that meet the specific needs of your organisation, offering more flexibility than built-in options provided by Google’s native tools.

How Metomic can help

Metomic’s data security platform is designed to take your Google Workspace security to the next level.

Here’s how Metomic can assist in safeguarding your organisation’s critical data:

• Protecting critical data: Metomic specialises in identifying and protecting your most sensitive information. By scanning your Google Workspace, Metomic can pinpoint files that contain critical data and apply stringent security measures to keep them safe.
• Disabling risky file sharing: One of the most significant risks in any cloud environment is the potential for sensitive files to be shared inappropriately. Metomic helps you manage and control file sharing settings, ensuring that only authorised personnel can access critical documents.
• Providing tailored notifications and issue resolution: Metomic’s platform sends custom notifications to users, alerting them to potential security issues without overwhelming them with unnecessary information. Additionally, Metomic integrates with tools like Slack to facilitate quick and efficient issue resolution, minimising disruption to your workflow.
• Conducting risk audits: Regular monitoring and auditing of data usage is essential for maintaining a secure environment. Metomic provides tools to thoroughly audit your Google Workspace, identifying vulnerabilities and offering recommendations for addressing them.

By integrating Metomic into your Google Workspace environment, you can achieve a higher level of data security, ensuring that your organisation’s sensitive information is well-protected against cyber threats.

Check if your Google Drive is leaking sensitive data

It’s scary how easy it is to upload sensitive data to Google Drive and share these files and folders with other people - not just within your company, but potentially beyond that too.

With our FREE Google Drive Scanner, you can:

• See how secure your Google Drive account is in seconds.
• Discover who still has access to your files, and who they were created by.
• Find risky files exposed publicly to anyone on the internet