Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Jul 25, 2025

Lock down your Gmail account like it's Fort Knox: Google Advanced Protection Program

Google's highest level of account security puts the key to Google services right in your pocket - literally.

You keep a lot of sensitive information in your Google account - bank account balances, email addresses and phone numbers, pictures of your face, your friends' faces, your family. If you want to protect that sensitive data with the highest level of security you can get, you'll want to take a look at the Google Advanced Protection Program. Google's program makes it practically impossible for anyone other than you to access your Gmail , Google Drive, Google Photos or other Google services. Google claims it offers the strongest consumer-grade security available.

You have a right to be concerned - data breaches have become so commonplace that CNET now keeps a running tally. Just last month, hackers rang up thousands of dollars' worth of Facebook ads on unsuspecting users' credit cards. Meanwhile, one of the biggest players in the virtual private network space, NordVPN, reluctantly admitted to a massive breach after a security researcher blew the whistle on Twitter.

Whether you're ready to add maximum safeguards to your Google account, or you're just curious how Google's high-security program works, here's everything you need to know about the Google Advanced Protection Program and how it can protect your data.

Android devices can now be security keys, YouTube TV raising prices
How the program protects your account

The Google Advanced Protection Program protects your personal information by requiring a physical security key, similar to the kind of dongle you use to start a car with keyless ignition. You don't need to plug it into your phone, laptop or desktop, but you do need to keep it nearby whenever you access your Google account, like on a keychain or in your pocket.

The Google Store sells a set of Titan security keys for $50, but there are other options as well.

One of the common denominators among most data breaches is that attacks are carried out remotely, over the Internet. That's why physical security keys, much like the ones Google user or those that Microsoft customers can now use to unlock their Windows machines, are such an effective defense against online hackers. Even if a scammer did steal your username and password, they still couldn't get into your account without that physical key.

Same goes for anyone who might surreptitiously steal your password - nosy coworkers, a suspicious spouse. Without that key, your Google account is practically impenetrable.


There are, however, some trade-offs

Once enrolled in the Google Advanced Protection Program, Google services are going to be a little harder to access, for both you as well as most third-party apps that tap into your YouTube, Gmail, Google Drive or other areas of your Google account in order to work.

All Google apps will still function, as will a select few non-Google apps like Apple's Mail, Calendar and Contact apps for iOS , as well as Mozilla's Thunderbird email client. Travel tracking apps, or apps that aggregate your online purchases by scanning your Gmail for receipts, however, will mostly no longer work. Also, any Google services accessed via mobile or desktop browser will now only work with Chrome or Firefox.

In addition to these hurdles, if you do happen to lose both your security key and your backup key, the process for regaining access to your Google account will take several days, as Google will go through extra steps to verify your identity before unlocking it. That's because sometimes hackers contact companies like Google pretending to be you in the hopes of having your password reset and hijacking your account.


There's a one-time cost to set it up, but no monthly fee

The first thing you'll need to do is purchase two physical security keys - even though you'll only need one at a time to access your account, Google wants to be sure you have a backup in case you lose it. Google sells the Titan Security Key Bundle at the Google Store for $50.

The two included keys run on Google-engineered firmware, and thanks to a recent hardware update, the Titan USB key now fits USB-C ports like those on all modern-day MacBooks, including the new 16-inch MacBook pro unveiled Nov. 13, as well as many Windows machines and Chromebooks. It also comes with adapters so you can use it with USB-A and Micro-USB ports as well.

For most people, the Titan set will work just fine, but if you insist on choosing your own keyset, either to save money or because you prefer another manufacturer, look for a key fob that works with FIDO Universal 2nd Factor (U2F), aka FIDO2. YubiKey is a popular alternative. They sell compatible keys that cost between $20 to $70 each, which you can order directly from the YubiKey website.

Compatible keys also are available from a variety of online retailers for anywhere from about $7 to over $40. Certain Android phones also come equipped with a compatible Bluetooth security key. Google recommends having one Bluetooth fob as your primary key and one USB key as a backup.


Register your keys and enroll in the program

Once you've got the key situation sorted out, head back over to your Google account to register the keys and enroll in the program. Note that from here on out you'll have to use either Chrome or Firefox -- you won't be able to access your Gmail, Google Docs or other Google services with Safari, Internet Explorer or other browsers.

While you're in your account settings, it might be a good idea to also set up some additional ways Google can verify it's you. This will both strengthen your account's security as well as make it easier to get back in if you ever lose both your security keys.


It works with G-Suite accounts, too

Many schools, universities and employers use Google's enterprise G-Suite software package to provide email addresses, cloud storage and other features and benefits to students, instructors and employees. Google just began supporting G-Suite customers last summer, however, you may have to contact your supervisor or system administrator to have the option turned on.


Google's Advanced Protection Program continues to evolve

G-Suite compatibility isn't the only new improvement to the Advanced Protection Program, as Google recently broadened the program's scope to also include protecting people from viruses aimed at Chrome. This is a welcome feature, as Chrome already has a pretty bad reputation when it comes to protecting your privacy.

Although it may seem ironic to trust your security to Google after the company recently got busted feeding users' personal data to advertisers as well as collecting health information on millions of Americans without their consent, the other side of that coin is that Google probably knows you better than any other tech company, so if anyone's going to keep an eye on your digital security, it might as well be Google.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
×