Information Technology Services

Google is applying a security update to certain folders and files to make sharing links more secure.

Only non-native Google files (e.g., Microsoft Word, PDFs, etc.) shared prior to 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).

Non-native Google documents are documents that you have uploaded to your Google Drive. Examples include Microsoft word (.docx), Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) or Adobe PDF (.pdf).

Please note that for every folder/file of yours in the list, the link will be updated as part of this security update. This means the link will change.

Only users (internal or external) who have not previously viewed the impacted file(s).

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 you update links (URLs) you have distributed on websites or posted elsewhere.

If you shared a file by changing the link sharing on the file from restricted to either anyone at Brandeis or anyone on the web, people who may have viewed the file in the past will still have access, but anyone who has not previously accessed the file will no longer have access.

Starting July 26, Google will send an email to users. If you do not get the email, none of your content will be impacted. There are plenty of people who joined the university after November 2017 and, thus, have no content in Google Drive prior to November 2017. No news is good news — it's okay to not receive the email.

Google will apply the changes to the folders/files in your list starting Sept. 13, 2021, and will complete the updates by Sept. 30, 2021. Your content may be updated at any time during this timeframe. You will not receive any notice that the change occurred nor will you notice the new security update. But please note that the links will be changed.

The security update will only change the shared link. The new link will contain a resource key (i.e., random alphanumeric number); this is similar to the addition of a password to a Zoom meeting link. None of the content within the files themselves will be changed.

It is recommended to follow 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 or posted elsewhere. You can then distribute the new link and/or update reference to the link on any publicly accessible website. We would suggest renaming the old version of the document (or deleting it; your choice).

The email is a notification of the upcoming change. If you would like to take action now, here are a few steps that you can take to ensure the links to your folders or files continue to work with your collaborators:

• You can review what folders/files will be updated by opening the document from the link in the email that Google sends you.

• You can re-share the new link to those you want to have access to the folder or file.

If you do nothing and ignore the email from Google, they will automatically apply the security update to all of your files on Sept. 13, 2021. Once that happens, anyone who tries to access the file for the first time using the old link will be prompted to request access to the file or folder.

While the decision is yours, ITS Security Office has the following guideline. Think about whether any of your files contain personally identifiable or confidential information.

• If they do, then we ask that you apply the security update to those files.
• If your files do not contain any sensitive information, then you can elect to remove the security update.