Archives - Google


Manage the Voice and Audio Activity of your Google Account

Smart speakers like Google Home have become very popular for their abilities to play music and answer voice queries. They can create some privacy issues, though. You might want to delete some or all of the recordings these devices store of your voice. For Google’s speakers, you can do this from the Voice and Audio […]

Perform a Google Account security checkup periodically

If you rely on a Google Account, you should pay close attention to any security events affecting it. That means regularly performing a security check, which you can do from your main Google Account page. The interface allows you to revoke the access of third-party applications, sign out from specific devices and enable two-factor authentication, […]

Know how to log out of your Google account on all devices

If you’re worried about someone having access to your Gmail because you forgot to log out of a shared computer or notice some unusual activity, there’s a simple fix. At the very bottom of the Gmail web app, you should see some text about “account activity” alongside a clickable link. Following that link will take […]

Use the search engine cache if you’re unsure about a site’s safety

Sometimes when you search for something and then try to visit a website in the results, you’ll see a warning saying the site’s certificate has expired. Instead of going through anyway (which is risky), consider using the cache – on Google, it’s usually to the right of the result, in a drop-down menu. The cache […]

On this day in history – Santy worm uses Google to spread across the Internet

December 20, 2008: Within 24 hours of its release, about 30,000 to 40,000 websites were attacked by Santy. The worm, which exploited vulnerability in phpBB software, holds a record of spreading worldwide within three hours of its release. It caused writable files (of formats such as .php and .html) on the infected servers to display […]

Heed browser and search engine warnings

Sometimes when you visit specific sites, you’ll see a warning from your web browser that the site isn’t safe or that its security certificate has expired. Google will sometimes include a textual warning on risky search results, too. These notices should be heeded. Stay away from potentially compromised sites to keep your data safe.