Google Drive Security Update May Affect File-Sharing Links for Some Users 


Beginning September 13, 2021, Google will release a security update that will change the file-sharing links for files contained in individual and shared Google Drives for links that were created before November 2017. This change only applies to links which give access to non-native files in individual and shared Google Drives. Links for native Google files (e.g., Sheets/Docs/Slides, etc.) will not be impacted.

 

In preparation for this security update, starting July 26, 2021, Google will notify users who own or manage impacted files via email. This notification will contain a link to a list of the impacted files for that user to review.

 

If you receive the notification from Google, you should carefully review the files and determine if you need to update any documents, websites, or other items with the new, more secure sharing link.

 

If you do not receive an email notification from Google between July 26 and September 13, no action is required. Google has not provided the university with a list of impacted users.

 

For more information, please see the following links: 
https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2021/06/drive-file-link-updates.html


Security update for Google Drive

https://support.google.com/drive/answer/10729743

Share files from Google Drive

https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822

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FAQs:


What steps do I need to take?

Look out for the email notification from Google. We recommend following the instructions to view and take action on your affected Google Drive files. You will need to share a new updated link (URLs) for any of your files that still need to be accessible with a link on websites, courses, or posted elsewhere.

Note, only users with impacted files will be notified by Google. Otherwise, no action is required.

Who is impacted by this change?

Only users (internal or external) who haven’t viewed the affected files previously.

When these users try to access the files via a link, they will be presented with a page to request access. The owner (My Drive) or manager (Shared Drive) of the file will get an email asking for approval. To reduce the number of access requests, it is recommended to update links (URLs) you have distributed on the websites, courses, internal documents, or posted elsewhere. 

What files are affected?

Only non-native Google files (e.g., Microsoft Word, PDFs, etc.) shared before November 2017 will be affected by this security update. Google files (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms) will not be impacted. The email sent by Google will include a link to view a list of impacted files you own or manage in Google Drive (My Drive/Shared Drive).

How can I find my impacted files if I don’t see the security update banner in Google Drive?

If you would like to search for files that are impacted by this update, you can do an advanced search by doing the following: 

  • You can search for all files that have the security update applied by searching for: 
    ‘is: security_update_applied’
  • You can also search for all files that have the security update removed by searching for: ‘is:security_update_removed’

If you have further questions, please contact the IT- Helpdesk at [email protected]  or call 757-352-4076.