Gmail Implements New Security Feature

Google has implemented a new security feature into Gmail, notifying users when their accounts have been accessed from different countries. Google logs the IP addresses of users that sign into the account and determines from which country they originate. If the account was previously accessed from another country not long before, the user will be alerted with a message saying “Warning: We believe your account was last accessed from: [Country]” the next time he logs in. Clicking on the warning will provide the user with additional information about the suspicious login, including access type, location and IP address, and the time at which the login was made. The user is also provided an opportunity to change his password directly from this page. If the login was legitimate, the warning can be dismissed.

The feature is enabled for all Gmail users and will be available to Google Apps customers in the future. Google stresses that these notifications are not a substitute for security best practices.