Google has added a new security center to its popular G-Suite office productivity tools designed to make it easier for administrators to manage data security and take action when things go wrong.
The internet giant claims 3.5 million businesses use G-Suite today, with most tending to be small and mid-sized firms with fewer resources to spend on IT security.
The enhancements will offer admins a dashboard view of suspicious device activity, and insight into how spam and malware are targeting employees, as well as metrics to demonstrate security effectiveness.
They can also drill down into potential threats to help take a more proactive approach to security — perhaps by offering extra end user education to employees targeted by phishing. DLP alerts could also help managers prevent data exfiltration following a breach.
A security health feature provides bespoke advice for smaller businesses on how to improve security.
“These recommendations cover issues ranging from how your data is stored, to how your files are shared, as well as recommendations on mobility and communications settings,” the firm’s product managers, Chad Tyler and Reena Nadkarni explained.
G-Suite may not have nearly as many global users as Office 365, but any attempt to improve security for smaller firms should be seen as a positive.
Just under half (46%) of all UK businesses identified at least one security breach or attack in the 12 months preceding the government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2017. This figure rose to two-thirds (66%) of medium-sized firms.
Research in December from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) revealed that a fifth of small business owners think a lack of cybersecurity skills is preventing digital growth.
The FSB estimated that such companies in the UK suffer as many as seven million cyber-crimes every year, at a cost of £5.26bn annually.