All news with #google tag

🔐 Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) is introducing a unified cryptonym-based naming schema to standardize threat actor tracking across platforms and reports. The system uses two-word names: a unique memorable term and a second word denoting motivation, origin, or activity type to aid defenders. Several dozen active groups will be renamed initially, with prior aliases and MITRE ATT&CK mappings preserved for continuity. The approach aims to simplify mapping across vendor taxonomies while acknowledging visibility differences.

🚀 In the agentic era, organizations must move from passive data stores to proactive systems of action by providing AI agents with trusted business context. Google introduces the Agentic Data Cloud to unify data, models, and operational databases on an AI-native stack, leveraging BigQuery, Spanner, and open standards like Apache Iceberg. The approach reduces latency, operational overhead, and integration gaps that hinder production-grade agentic AI.

📊 Microsoft remained the most impersonated brand in Q2 2026, appearing in 23% of all brand phishing attempts. The top five—Microsoft, LinkedIn, Google, Apple, and Amazon—accounted for over half of observed attacks, while ChatGPT entered the top ten for the first time. Technology, social networks, and banking were the most targeted industries, and common tells included distorted logos, dead buttons, and mismatched links.

📰 The European Commission fined Google €890 million for violating the EU's Digital Markets Act, finding the company favoured its own services in Google Search and restricted app developers on Google Play. Google was designated a DMA gatekeeper in September 2023 and investigated from March 2024. The fine splits into €460 million for search favouritism and €430 million for app store steering, and Google must comply within 60 days or face further penalties.

📹 Google introduced an opt-in selfie video sign-in method to help users recover access when they cannot use their usual phone or computer. Users set up a short guided video with head movements to capture their face from multiple angles; later recordings are compared to the saved video to confirm identity. The feature stores videos encrypted at rest, is not available for Workspace, Child, or Advanced Protection accounts, and can be deleted or toggled for service improvement.

📸 Selfie video sign-in provides a new option to access your Google Account when you’re locked out or lack your usual device. Setup involves a short guided head-movement video captured and stored securely with your consent; you can delete it anytime. The system compares a fresh selfie video to the stored one and requires live movements to prevent spoofing. Encryption at rest and existing security measures are applied to protect against impersonation and suspicious sign-in attempts.

📱 Google’s phone number verification notifies users when their SIM is confirmed and links that number to all Google accounts on the device. The feature supports RCS messaging and fraud protection but can surface hidden verification SMS or metadata collection. Verification runs by default, may use carrier APIs or hidden SMS, and can attach identifiers like ICCID/IMSI. Users can opt out per account but may lose RCS and risk re-enablement.

🛡️ Google has made CodeMender available as a fully managed AI code security agent for enterprise customers via the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform and AI Threat Defense. Originally a DeepMind research project, CodeMender now builds and runs PoC exploits in sandboxes, proposes tested fixes into pipelines, and offers multiple Gemini model options for cost and coverage balance. Features include secure traffic routing, data isolation, zero code retention and integrations with tools like VS Code and Antigravity.

🔒 DeepMind has released Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber, a lightweight AI specialized in rapid vulnerability discovery, validation, and patching. The model is available only to governments and trusted partners via the CodeMender pilot program and is designed for high-speed, low-cost scanning of code paths. DeepMind reports it outperforms other Gemini variants and rival models in finding unique, confirmed issues across complex projects.

🛡️ CodeMender is a managed code security agent now available in preview, offering automated scanning and remediation using Google DeepMind–tuned models via the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform or as part of AI Threat Defense. It prioritizes fixes by exploitability, runs proof-of-concept exploits in customer-managed sandboxes, and generates validated patches that integrate into developer workflows. The agent supports multiple languages, integrates with CI/CD and IDEs, and enforces enterprise-grade governance and data controls.

🛡️ Security researchers demonstrated sandbox escape techniques against four popular AI coding agents—Cursor, OpenAI's Codex CLI, Google's Gemini CLI and Antigravity—by having the agent write files that trusted host tools later execute. Pillar Security reproduced the bypasses over months and published them as a daily series, identifying four failure modes including denylist limitations, executable workspace configs, permissive command allowlists, and privileged daemons. Most issues have been patched and vendor-acknowledged, though Google classified two Antigravity findings as lower-severity due to required social engineering.

📂 Amazon WorkSpaces Applications now supports Microsoft OneDrive for Business and Google Drive as persistent storage options for multi-session fleets. Users streaming on shared fleet instances can connect their cloud accounts to access, save, and sync files directly within sessions, alongside the existing S3-backed home folder. This feature is available in all AWS Regions where WorkSpaces Applications is offered and incurs no extra charge beyond standard streaming usage pricing.

🔒 Google is fixing a vulnerability that lets an attacker with physical access to a locked Android 16 device use Gemini to send SMS and WhatsApp messages without entering a PIN. Reports since May show the bypass exploits Gemini's Deep Research and a specific multi-touch gesture to circumvent authentication. Google says a patch is imminent; meanwhile, users should restrict Gemini's lock-screen access to limit exposure.

🔒 Kaspersky researchers describe a covert technique named Shadow Token via Remote Debug (STRD) used by the ToddyCat APT to gain persistent access to Google Workspace mailboxes without user interaction. The attackers deploy malware (Umbrij) that duplicates a browser profile, launches a headless debugging browser, and programmatically authorizes a third-party OAuth app to obtain an access token. This approach can survive password resets and evades endpoint detection when properly executed.

📰 The European Commission issued two rulings under the Digital Markets Act requiring Google to open Android to third-party AI assistants and to share search data with rival engines. Google warned the measures could harm user privacy and security, while EU regulators said the steps are needed to ensure fair competition. Security leaders caution CISOs to reassess device and data governance as agents gain system-level reach.

🔎 The European Commission has ordered Google to grant rival AI assistants the same access to Android sensors and system features that Gemini enjoys, including camera, microphone, screen contents, background controls, and wake-word activation. Google must deliver the changes in the next major release, Android 18, or by 1 August 2027, with some concurrent hotword features delayed until Android 19. The decision, adopted under the Digital Markets Act on 16 July, also requires Google to provide anonymised Search query datasets to competing search engines and AI chatbots under strict safeguards and cost-based fees. The measures define a mix of restricted features requiring certification and open features available to all third-party apps, set up a Qualified AI Assistant Programme, and impose timelines and audit and anonymisation conditions.

🔗 This post introduces the %%bqsql IPython cell magic and the BigFrames library to bridge Python (pandas) and BigQuery SQL within notebooks. It explains setup steps for local or Colab environments, how to enable the BigQuery sandbox, and how to load the bigframes extension. The article walks through a USDA wheat data example showing chained workflows that alternate between Python and BigQuery SQL, plus tips for schema handling and visualization.

🛡️ Francis deSouza outlines how deep context gives defenders an AI-driven advantage by unifying enterprise telemetry, vulnerability management, and agentic automation. The post introduces Google AI Threat Defense, combining Gemini, Wiz, CodeMender, and Mandiant into a prepare–scan–remediate–monitor lifecycle. It emphasizes human oversight, Zero Trust for AI, and real-world impact such as Morgan Stanley’s rapid detection improvements.

🎬 As part of an internal generative media hackathon, Google tested whether teams of AI agents could collaboratively produce short films using Scion, an open-source agent orchestration testbed. Each crew had three role-specific agents (Idea Person, Technical Lead, Editor) plus coach and coordinator agents, following a seven-step filmmaking pipeline with verification gates. Agents called multiple Google AI models via a shared CLI toolkit genmedia (Gemini, Veo 3.1, Lyria 3, Gemini Flash TTS) to generate images, video, audio, and music, producing over 25 productions and about 44 minutes of final footage. Teams found that shared files provided resilience, specific prompts and style choices improved results, and coach-led gates helped ensure completed deliverables.

🔎 Upgrading foundation models is slow and costly for engineering teams, often requiring months of manual testing and evaluation. Google Cloud Applied ML built an agentic workflow that reduces migration time from months to hours using the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform and Google Antigravity. The blog outlines three lessons and practical steps—deploying Autoraters, building an agentic loop, and automating orchestration—to replace manual toil with intelligent automation.