Google Drive Introduces AI Ransomware Detection

Ransomware remains one of the most damaging cybersecurity threats to organizations worldwide, with attacks leading to multimillion-dollar losses, prolonged downtime, and compromised data across industries ranging from healthcare and education to manufacturing and government.

According to cybersecurity firm Mandiant, ransomware-related intrusions accounted for 21% of all observed intrusions last year, with the average cost of a ransomware or extortion incident surpassing $5 million.

In response to the persistent threat, Google has announced a significant update to its cloud storage platform: the rollout of AI-powered ransomware detection in Google Drive for desktop. The new feature is designed to automatically halt file syncing when ransomware is detected, helping users avoid infected files spreading to the cloud. Once the issue is resolved, users can restore their files with just a few clicks.

Credit: Google

While Google emphasizes that native Workspace documents such as Docs and Sheets are not vulnerable to ransomware—and ChromeOS has never been successfully targeted—other file formats like Microsoft Office documents and PDFs remain susceptible, especially on Windows operating systems.

The company says the move marks a shift away from traditional antivirus-focused strategies, which primarily attempt to identify and quarantine malicious code before activation. “With ransomware becoming increasingly disruptive to essential business operations—from hospital services to factory production lines—it’s clear that old approaches alone are no longer enough,” Google noted in its announcement.

The update positions Google Drive as not only a collaboration tool but also a proactive safeguard against one of the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing organizations today.

AI Ransomware Detection

Google is introducing a new layer of protection in its popular cloud storage platform with the launch of AI-powered ransomware detection and recovery in Drive for desktop. The feature, now rolling out in open beta, is designed to help organizations and individuals quickly detect and stop ransomware attacks before they cause widespread data loss.

Unlike traditional antivirus tools that focus on keeping malicious software out, Google’s new system is built to minimize damage when ransomware inevitably breaches defenses. The technology monitors for the telltale signs of an attack — mass file encryption or corruption — and immediately halts file syncing to the cloud to contain the spread.

Bob O’Donnell, President and Chief Analyst at TECHnalysis Research, said:

“By seamlessly integrating AI-powered ransomware detection and restoreDownload The Ultimate 2025 SOC Metrics & SLA Roadmap capabilities into Drive, Google is helping organizations with an innovative way to avoid an increasingly common and increasingly dangerous threat while also giving end users the ability to continue working,”

How it works

Available for both Windows and macOS, Drive for desktop continuously scans file activity using a specialized AI model trained on millions of ransomware samples. The system adapts to emerging threats by incorporating real-time intelligence from VirusTotal and halts suspicious activity before it can compromise critical files.

Credit: Google

When unusual activity is detected, users are alerted via email and desktop notifications. From there, they can use Drive’s web interface to restore multiple files to a previous, healthy version with just a few clicks — avoiding the costly and complex recovery processes often associated with ransomware attacks.

Credit: Google

IT administrators retain full visibility and control through the Admin console, where they can review detailed audit logs and manage alerts. The ransomware defense features are enabled by default for Workspace commercial customers, though admins may disable them if desired.

Enterprise and consumer impact

The new protections extend beyond Google Workspace users. Since many individuals and organizations use Drive alongside other productivity software like Microsoft Windows and Office, Google emphasized that the recovery capabilities will benefit a wide range of users.

In addition, the company reaffirmed that it does not use customer data — including files, prompts, or outputs — for advertising or training AI models without explicit permission.

Availability

The ransomware detection, alerting, and restoration tools are rolling as part of an open beta. They are included in most Workspace commercial plans at no extra cost, with file restoration also available for consumer accounts FREE of charge.

Download Google Drive for desktop HERE

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