Gmail is offering this privacy tool for select users but the control of the encryption keys remain with the users.
Encryption has become a vital tool for user privacy, and Gmail is now the latest platform to offer it for its consumers. Well, the feature is currently in beta and available as a client-side encryption for Gmail users on the web.
Google says this tool will ensure that all the sensitive data provided in the email body, including the attachments are unreadable, even to the Google servers.
“Google Workspace already uses the latest cryptographic standards to encrypt all data at rest and in transit between our facilities. Client-side encryption helps strengthen the confidentiality of your data while helping to address a broad range of data sovereignty and compliance needs,” Google said in a blogpost this week.
So, who can avail this encryption service? Google says that Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers can apply for the beta until January 20, 2023 before its public release comes out at a later date. The company said that it will be accepting beta applications and allow listing customers over the next several weeks.
With the tool, customers still have the control over encryption keys and the identity service to access those keys. Having said that, Google has been quick to mention that those with personal Google accounts will not be getting this feature, which is strange but understandable as most of them are free users.
As you might be aware, the client-side encryption has been offered on Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Google Meet, and Google Calendar (beta) for quite some time now. It is strange that Google has taken this long to give client-side encryption on the web. Did it estimate that most users rely on the Gmail app instead of the web client?
Either way, limiting its use to business customers might be a starting point and we are hoping that the tool extends to personal users, at least those who pay for Drive or other services, in the future.