Google Drive has been working for a long time, facilitating the users with certain files sharing options. The options include public view and private access to your files. However, there are certain updates contemplated based on security preferences in google drive. These new security features will be functional from September 13, 2021.
The updated features will be enabled on some of the google drive files. Google informed the users in advance that some drive hyperlinks won’t be operable after the new update in driver services. These updates will ensure more security since they may ask the users for the recourse key before a linked file is accessible.
This change will be affecting users who have not accessed the shared drive files already, and they might need to ask for permission once again from their host. However, there will be no impact on the users who have already accessed or opened that shared file.
Talking about family links, Google reiterated;
“The security update will be automatically applied to Family link accounts with no option to remove the update. Family accounts won’t receive notifications from Google drive.”
To quickly review the files you are sharing, or other owners are sharing with you, open google drive on your desktop. Click on “My Drive” and tap on “View list.” From the list, you can navigate the list of files that you are sharing, or others are sharing on google drive. From the list, you may review and block unnecessary shares and owners.
Have a Look at Your Impacted Files
The update will be implemented on September 13, 2021. However, after July 26. 2021 you can identify the files that have been affected due to the new security update. Google provided a step-by-step guide in this regard.
- On your computer, go to drive.google.com/drive/my-drive.
- At the top, find the security update banner and click see files.
- If you have multiple Drives with impacted files, click on one of your Drives, like My Drive, to see all impacted files in that drive.
After receiving the security update from google, the impacted file and data can only be viewed in 30 days. Once the 30 days of security alerts are passed advance search will be required to check out users’ impacted files. For advance search, users will go to the link support.google.com.
How do Security Updates Affect the Existing Files?
The users who are new to your drive accessibility will be required the resource key that is included in the URL. However, old users who have already been a part of the list will not be asked for the resource key. Some companies might not want the impact of the new security policy upon their files. This is also possible.
- Open the particular file, and click on the “Share” option in the right corner.
- Get the link for that file.
- Go into “Setting.”
- Select remove the security update, and your file won’t be impacted.
After the security update is removed from a certain drive file, there might be a need to re-apply it. Users can also re-apply for the security update on their removed files. For this purpose, google stated the tip as follows:
“You can apply or remove the security update for an entire Drive you own. To apply or remove the security update, hover the Drive and click Apply security update or Remove security update.
References
- https://support.google.com/drive/answer/10729743?hl=en
- https://support.google.com/drive/answer/10729743#search
- https://techzimo.com/google-drive-new-security-update-heres-how-it-may-affect-your-existing-files/
