All news with #google tag

🔒 Google has begun rolling out an AI-powered ransomware detection feature for Google Drive for desktop. The feature automatically pauses syncing of affected files on Windows and macOS when it detects signs of ransomware, protecting cloud copies though it does not prevent local file encryption. Administrators may disable detection or file restoration via the Admin console, and alerts require Drive version 114 or later.

🔎 Google added two BigQuery tools—ask_data_insights and BigQuery Forecast—to the MCP Toolbox and the Agent Development Kit (ADK) to enable conversational analytics and time-series predictions for agents. ask_data_insights uses the Conversational Analytics API to interpret plain-English questions, generate and run queries, and return summarised answers with a step‑by‑step log for transparency. BigQuery Forecast leverages BigQuery ML’s TimesFM model via AI.FORECAST so agents can run forecasting jobs directly inside BigQuery without separate ML infrastructure.

🔒 Cybersecurity researchers disclosed three now-patched vulnerabilities in Google's Gemini suite that could have exposed user data and enabled search- and prompt-injection attacks. The flaws, labeled the Gemini Trifecta, impacted Gemini Cloud Assist, the Search Personalization model, and the Browsing Tool. Following responsible disclosure, Google stopped rendering hyperlinks in log summaries and implemented additional hardening. Tenable warned these issues could have allowed covert exfiltration of saved user information and location data.

⚠️Tenable has revealed three vulnerabilities in Google's Gemini platform, collectively dubbed the "Gemini Trifecta," that enable indirect prompt injection and data exfiltration through integrations. The issues allow attackers to poison GCP logs consumed by Gemini Cloud Assist, inject malicious entries into Chrome search history to manipulate the Search Personalization Model, and coerce the Browsing Tool into fetching attacker-controlled URLs that leak sensitive query data. Google has patched the flaws, and Tenable urges security teams to treat AI integrations as active threat surfaces and implement input sanitization, output validation, monitoring, and regular penetration testing.

🚀 The U.S. Air Force, working with Google Public Sector and GDIT, deployed the Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance to run classified workloads at the tactical edge in DDIL environments. The rugged, transportable system demonstrated secure, Zero Trust-capable processing up to Secret, delivering on-device AI for transcription, OCR, translation, and summarization during Mobility Guardian 2025 in Guam. It also supported containerized IL2 collaboration, Luna AI integration for low-latency air-defense data, a Jupyter-based edge dev environment, and AI-enabled tele-maintenance to convert manuals and visual data into actionable maintenance insights.

🚀 TELUS modernized its global digital workplace by deploying ChromeOS, Google Workspace, Cameyo, and Chrome Enterprise Premium to create a browser-first, zero-trust app streaming platform. The TELUS Desktop Stream replaced costly VDI, avoided a $15 million infrastructure refresh, and cut login times by threefold. More than 100 applications now run through Cameyo, improving call-center throughput and agent productivity. IT teams report simplified management, stronger contextual security, and reduced reliance on VPNs.

🚀 Searce, a Google Cloud Premier partner, has completed over 1,000 migrations and highlights measurable gains in reliability, cost, and performance for enterprise customers. Using GKE, GKE Autopilot, GKE Gateway Controller and Google Cloud platform services, Searce reports improvements such as 25% better reliability, 50% lower TCO, and up to 30% performance gains, with significant reductions in downtime during migrations.

🔐 Chinese state-linked actors deployed a custom Linux/BSD backdoor called BRICKSTORM on network edge appliances to maintain persistent access into U.S. legal, technology, SaaS and outsourcing firms. These implants averaged 393 days of undetected dwell time and were used to pivot to VMware vCenter/ESXi hosts, Windows systems, and Microsoft 365 mailboxes. Mandiant and Google TAG attribute the activity to UNC5221 and have released a scanner and hunting guidance to locate affected appliances.

🔒 At DEF CON 33, Google and Airbus hosted the GenSec Capture the Flag (CTF) to promote human–AI collaboration and accelerate adoption of AI in cybersecurity workflows. Nearly 500 participants completed introductory challenges, 23% used AI for security for the first time, and 85% found the event useful for learning practical AI applications. The CTF also featured Sec-Gemini as an optional assistant in the UI; 77% of respondents rated it very or extremely helpful, and organizers are incorporating feedback into future iterations.

🚀 Google Cloud has extended core Autopilot capabilities to qualified Standard GKE clusters, enabling access to the new container-optimized compute platform via built-in compute classes. Available initially to clusters in the Rapid release channel running 1.33.1-gke.1107000 or later, these features include the autopilot and autopilot-spot compute classes and a provisioning mode that supports gradual adoption. Benefits include rapid horizontal and vertical scaling, pay-for-request billing, efficient bin-packing, and support for GPUs and TPUs for AI workloads.

🔧 Google released open-source Gemini CLI extensions that integrate Gemini with Google Data Cloud services, enabling terminal-based access to BigQuery, Cloud SQL, and AlloyDB. Developers install the CLI (recommended v0.6.0), add extensions, and configure IAM and environment variables to connect to projects. Extensions support provisioning databases and users, natural-language querying, AI forecasting, and conversational analytics, though some require enabling additional APIs.

🧭 Google outlines an AI-native stack to transform data scientists into agentic architects, unifying development, real-time data access, and production-grade agent deployment. Enhancements to Colab Enterprise notebooks add native SQL cells, editable visualizations, and an interactive Data Science Agent that can orchestrate BigQuery ML, DataFrames, and Spark workflows. The Lightning Engine is now generally available to accelerate Spark, while previews for stateful BigQuery continuous queries and autonomous embedding generation bring real-time streaming and vector search into analytics. A 'Build-Deploy-Connect' toolkit, including the Agent Development Kit, MCP Toolbox, and Gemini CLI extensions, helps move notebook prototypes into secure, scalable agent fleets.

🔒 Google researchers report suspected China-linked operators used a Go-based backdoor named Brickstorm to persistently exfiltrate data from U.S. technology, legal, SaaS and BPO organizations, with an average dwell time of 393 days. Brickstorm operated as a web server, file dropper, SOCKS relay and remote command executor while masquerading traffic as legitimate cloud services and targeting edge appliances that often lack EDR. GTIG attributes the activity to UNC5221, a cluster linked to Ivanti zero-day exploitation and custom tools like Spawnant and Zipline. Mandiant published a scanner with YARA rules but cautioned it may not detect all variants or persistence mechanisms.

🚀 JS Bank migrated its distributed IT estate to a unified Google ecosystem—deploying 1,500 Chromebooks and Chromeboxes while adopting Google Workspace and Chrome Enterprise Premium. The change delivered nearly 90% endpoint standardization, cut device management time by 40%, and halved daily support tickets. Built-in ChromeOS protections simplified security and reduced reliance on multiple third-party antivirus and anti-malware tools.

🔒 This week's recap highlights rapid attacker innovation and urgent remediation: Google patched an actively exploited Chrome zero-day (CVE-2025-10585), while researchers demonstrated a DDR5 RowHammer variant that undermines TRR protections. Dual-use AI tooling and model namespace reuse risks surfaced alongside widespread supply-chain and phishing disruptions. Defenders should prioritize patching, harden model dependencies, and monitor for stealthy loaders.

🤖 Gemini in Chrome brings AI assistance directly into the browser to help employees summarize reports, extract video insights, recall and navigate tabs, and take actions via integrations with Google Calendar, Docs, and Drive. Rolling out in the U.S. on Mac and Windows with Android availability and iOS coming soon, these features are configurable through Chrome Enterprise Core policies so IT retains control. AI Mode in the omnibox and enhanced Safe Browsing add context-aware responses and proactive protection against AI-driven scams.

🛠️ Vertex AI Agent Builder is a unified platform for building, grounding, and deploying production-grade AI agents, designed to move organizations from prototype to scalable, secure services. It centers development on five pillars: Agent frameworks, Model choice, Tools for taking actions, Scalability and performance, and Built-in trust and security, and supports the Agent Development Kit (ADK) and third-party models including Gemini 2.5 Flash Pro. The platform offers managed runtime features such as sandboxed code execution, Agent-to-Agent collaboration, Bidirectional Streaming, and a streamlined one-line path from ADK prototype to Agent Engine deployment, while enterprise controls like VPC-SC and CMEK address compliance and data protection.

🚀 Google Cloud highlights how its differentiated AI tech stack is accelerating startup innovation worldwide, with nine of the top ten AI labs, most AI unicorns, and more than 60% of generative AI startups using its platform. Startups are leveraging Vertex AI, TPUs, multimodal models like Veo 3 and Gemini, plus services such as AI Studio and GKE to build agents, generative media, medical tools, and developer platforms. Programs like the Google for Startups Cloud Program provide credits, mentorship, and engineering support to help founders scale.

🚨 Researchers at HUMAN disrupted a global Android ad-fraud operation dubbed "SlopAds" that used 224 malicious apps on Google Play to generate roughly 2.3 billion ad bid requests per day. The apps, downloaded over 38 million times across 228 countries, used obfuscation and steganography to hide a malicious FatModule payload assembled from PNG images. The campaign used Firebase Remote Config and hidden WebViews to deliver continuous fraudulent ad impressions and clicks; Google has removed the identified apps and updated Google Play Protect to warn affected users.

🤖 Google introduced the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open standard developed with more than 60 payments and technology firms to enable secure, agent-initiated transactions across platforms. AP2 extends A2A and MCP, using cryptographically-signed Mandates and verifiable credentials to prove authorization, ensure authenticity, and provide a non-repudiable audit trail. The protocol supports cards, real-time bank transfers, and crypto.