Gmail has introduced a new privacy feature that will let users see how many computers their account is open on, and also allows them to sign-out remotely. Basic information is displayed as part of the page’s standard footer, and users looking for more detailed information can view a log that displays the most recent IP addresses to access the account, along with the type of access (Mobile, POP, etc.)
The new feature will be especially useful for monitoring email accounts for privacy intrusions, as well as for users who like to use Gmail from public terminals and may forget to manually log-off. Google says that the feature is being rolled out as part of the latest version of Gmail, but it appears that not all accounts are active (I couldn’t access it from my account).
The new Gmail features are the latest in a string of privacy-related announcements to come from the search giant. On Thursday we reported on a judge’s mandate for Google to turn over all YouTube user records as part of the Viacom/YouTube lawsuit, which has been met with widespread outrage. Since then, Google seems intent on demonstrating its concern for privacy, having moved its privacy policy to its homepage (after months of opposing the change) and releasing the enhanced Gmail security.
You can read more details at the Gmail Blog.
We’ve just uncovered Google’s Grey Box Mystery in GMail. Check out our video proof here…
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008.....ious-grey-
box/#comment-2400400
Here is a shorter link to the video proof that shows what Google’s little gray box in GMail is about.
And now with the link
http://tinyurl.com/6pydc9
I wonder how much this is actually going to be used. How many non-techies know what an IP address is much less what their home/work one is?
Wow. cool as someone that runs around a big office and check my email from multiple terminals this will come is useful.
This would of been helpful earlier this year when my ex was logging into my Gmail account, and reading my email and GChat convo’s.
Thank you Google.
I think it is a result of Google acquiring Postini~
I just checked it out on my gmail account. I like this, a lot. Rob Abbott in his comment above pretty well sums up why it’s a good thing.
Just checked it out and it seems to be functionning ok…
But some flaws…
Check this out:
http://www.subversion.fr/blog/.....l-company/
Nice security feature….
What if the intruder is the one who clicks “Log out of all other sessions”? Won’t he be able to prevent you from visiting your own account?
@Josh - yes (from what I have read), though you should be able to login again and change your password. That is, if the intruder doesn’t beat you to it.
I imagine the initial security feature will be low level, and for ‘monitoring’ but not to take action on intrusions (i.e. report, block IP…etc.).
Either way, it’s enough to make an impact oh those paranoid intruder’s/girlfriends (if they’re savvy enough).
@Josh
You’ll still have the password, so you could log back in (unless the intruder changes the password, in which case you’re screwed).
hmmm.. that “GMail Blog” link doesn’t go to Gmail’s Blog.
But the intruder would need to know the old password to change it.
How will this effect websites that use your email contact list to go viral? Is contact scraping coming to a end?
how do i get this feature..
Click the link in the footer.
Your “Gmail Blog” link is incorrect. It is a link to Techmeme. Delete this comment after you read it.
This is perfect for people who are a bit paranoid about security like me.
Seems like there are a few problems with this.
I often wonder why there exists such a fascination with everything Google.
/shrug/
Bompa
Google always thinking \o/
This is a good way to detect intruders, but I really wish Google would allow people to use a one-time password electronic keychain, similar to how PayPal, World of Warcraft and some banks do it. This would insure that no intruders ever got into my account, even if they knew my password. With Google having more and more of my digital life, it is concerning that it can all be unlocked with a single password.
This is the greatest additional to GMAIL I’ve seen in a LONG time. Watch everyone follow.
BA
@23 ….on other seemingly unrelated news, google farted!
Does Yahoo mail have this same feature ?
so now instead of someone simply looking through your email once in a while to satisfy their curiosity, you’ll have people who simply wanted to look change the password in order to avoid getting caught.
Wow this is a feature I asked for using that Suggest Something form about two years ago. I always thought it was crazy how you had no idea who was using your account. Way to go, speedy Google!
Tough to worry about others getting into Google when it is so flakey that I can’t get into it myself half the time.
@27 Joe: Hi, I work at Google. We’ve been wondering for years who made that wonderful suggestion. Please send me your address and I’ll promptly mail you a royalty check and a Blogger jumper.
Oh. I thought this was going to let you monitor Google’s access to your account, and how they phish through your e-mails for marketing data. Still an interesting feature though…
Same feature in VMS login ca. 1978.
Does the GOOG employ anyone over 40 (besides Eric Schmidt)?
Hmm, can’t see it with my Google Apps hosted account…. *sigh*
Will it show the times google themselves index your data and resell it?
hmm… nice feature they have introduced =D
Remote log out …….Sweet ! too bad there isn’t a clear records button
Very nice feature… but it doesn’t work with IE6 (and maybe with other browsers).
You can use the direct url of the page!
Follow these steps:
1) change your browser’s user agent string (eg use “Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1)”), close the browser and reopen it in order the change to take effect. From now your browser will be identified as IE7
2) Log in to Gmail with your account, et voilà, “Last account activity” is available on the bottom of the page. You click it and the popup opens. Save the url of this page, which will work on all browsers, then undo the changes you made to the user agent string of IE6 and restart the browser.
When you are logged onto Gmail and you need the “Last account activity” page, simply use the url you previously saved.
hey guys…i dont think the times of login sessions shown in the table r corect…its pretty misleading…
and something must be done to know who is loggin into my account. May be implimented from sumthing like, if my account access IP and somebody else’s account access IP are same at the same time,den it is quite probable dat he is using my account too…
GOOGLE ..do sumthin…
This feature is great only if I could log into Gmail account. For the second time in less than a week where users are seeing the Temporary Error (502) when trying to log in. This experience has been extremely frustrating. I need to start forwarding my emails to another account.
Have you been affected? See post here for more info. http://news.softpedia.com/news.....1639.shtml
my gmail doesn’w work. why