Gartner Research has warned enterprise users about an “unacceptable security threat” in Google Desktop 3 and advises against its use. Google has acknowledged this.
On February 9, Google launched the improved Google Desktop 3, which includes a feature that allows users to search for files across multiple computers within the same network. However, in order for this function to operate, the application must store a copy of the files on Google’s servers for at least one month. This means that whenever users perform a search, the data will be directly transferred from Google’s servers to them. Google stated that the data is encrypted during both the transfer and storage processes on the server.
The danger for businesses lies in how Google handles the aforementioned shared information. Company data is transferred to a remote server for storage and may even be shared among different users for up to 30 days.
“The transfer of data outside the enterprise poses an unacceptable security risk. It’s akin to transferring intellectual property outside of the company,” Gartner noted in a recent report.
“We believe this is indeed a significant issue for businesses. It is precisely a security threat, and we recognize that many companies will be concerned about this,” acknowledged Andy Ku, Google’s regional marketing director for Europe.
Google also admitted that if the Search Across Computers feature of Google Desktop 3 is activated, data will temporarily be transferred outside the business, exposing it to similar security threats as email.
“In theory, this is essentially transferring intellectual property out of the business,” Ku stated. “We know there are many security concerns regarding the Search Across Computers feature. However, Google does not retain this information unless users choose to utilize this feature. Businesses can disable this feature.”
However, Gartner argues that businesses may expose sensitive documents if users are unaware or lack understanding of these issues. Google has not made any official comments on this matter.
Gartner recommends that enterprise users disable the Search Across Computers feature to mitigate security threats. Conversely, Google suggests that the Google Desktop Enterprise version may reduce those risks and encourages businesses to opt for this version.
