Google Chat adds warning banners to protect against phishing attacks

Google Chat has replaced Hangouts and will now display banners warning you against potential phishing and malware attacks coming from personal accounts, Google announced on Thursday. This tweak for Google Chat is the latest expansion of Google’s attempts to prevent phishing.

During its 2022 I/O developer conference, Google discussed several security measures it has implemented to enhance user safety, including warnings against potential security issues and recommendations to fix them. Google also laid out other plans for security measures, like expanded two-step verification, ad customization, and more data security.

Google’s new warning banners first appeared in Gmail on Workspace accounts to point out attempts to lure someone with a link that could be used for malware, phishing, or ransomware. At the end of April, Google expanded the banners to Google Docs, warning users against suspected malicious files in several Google Workspace apps (Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawing) no matter where they opened the link from.

This new feature is rolling out over the next couple of weeks, and it will be available for both personal Google accounts and for all Google Workspace customers.