Google has released a warning that thousands of Gmail accounts belonging to Australian users could be deleted by the end of the year in an effort to tighten security.
The tech giant made the revelation in a blog post, warning that abandoned email accounts, those which rely on a compromised password, and accounts that have been without regular. security checks will be impacted.
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The change stems from fears that users will have these accounts hacked into, as well as users becoming unwillingly victims of scams.
Gmail users who have also yet to set up two-factor verification for their accounts will also see their accounts deleted.
“People want the products and services they use online to be safe and secure. Which is why we have invested in technology and tools to protect our users from security threats, like spam, phishing scams, and account hijacking,” Google revealed.
“Even with these protections, if an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised.”
“This is because forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or reused passwords that may have been compromised, haven’t had two-factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user.”
The “mass deletion” will kick in from December 2023 and will take a “phased approach” starting with accounts that were created, and then never used again.
So for those needing to change their password or set up two-factor authentication, now is the time!
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