This week, Google is set to take action on inactive accounts, giving a heads-up to users who haven’t accessed their accounts in over two years.
The initiative, announced in May, aims to bolster security by addressing potential vulnerabilities associated with older, dormant accounts.
Google’s move is a response to internal findings highlighting the security risks posed by inactive accounts.
Older accounts are more likely to depend on recycled passwords and less likely to adopt contemporary security measures such as two-step verification.
This makes them susceptible to issues like phishing, hacking, and spam.
Warnings have been dispatched to affected users since August, with repeated alerts sent to impacted accounts and backup emails provided by users.
The deletion process will be executed in phases, starting with accounts that were created but never revisited by users.
The rationale behind the initiative, as stated by Google, is to safeguard users’ private information and prevent unauthorized access, even if they are no longer actively using Google services.
Google encompasses various services under its accounts, including Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Photos.
Consequently, all data associated with an inactive user’s Google Suite is at risk of removal.
Exceptions to the deletion policy include accounts with YouTube channels, those with remaining balances on gift cards, those used for digital purchases, and accounts with published apps active on platforms like the Google Play store.
Unlike the previous policy in 2020, which only wiped content from unused services, Google’s current approach involves the deletion of the accounts themselves.
This move is seen as a proactive step in cybersecurity, shrinking the potential attack surface available to malicious actors.
According to Oren Koren, CPO and Co-founder of Veriti, a cybersecurity firm, deleting old accounts is crucial for security.
Old accounts are often considered low-risk and can serve as an entry point for hackers.
Removing these accounts proactively forces hackers to create new accounts, now requiring phone number verification.
Additionally, the deletion eliminates older data that may have been compromised in a data breach.
To safeguard your account from deletion, it’s as simple as logging in to your Google account or any Google service at least once every two years.
Engaging in activities such as reading an email, watching a video, or performing a single search can help ensure the continued existence of your account.
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