Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has made a major breakthrough in its current encryption possibilities, with the launch of a new product called Google Apps Message Encryption (GAME). Not to mention, this is a big step forward for Google users as it is fully integrated into Google Apps. Google to Google transmissions have been encrypted for a long time, but when sending a message outside of Google it was no longer encrypted. This is a ‘game’ changer, as for the annual fee of $35, enterprise users will now have all of their messages automatically encrypted.
The app has been developed in conjunction with the email data protection company Zix. It allows Google Apps administrators to configure the relevant encryption settings, and routes, directly from within the Google Apps dashboard. Google was providing a service similar to this to its enterprise users already, in the form of Google Message Encryption (GME). GME was part of the Postini toolkit for email and internet security, but was not an integral part of any Google app. A Google admin had to adjust the encryption settings from Postini’s dashboard.
It has taken Google and Zix around two years to complete the transition of the GME Postini system into the Google Apps platform. Email encryption is not only essential in preventing transmissions from being read by prying eyes, such as the NSA, or other nosy parties. It is actually legally required for a lot of sensitive businesses. These include organizations such as banks, hospitals, and different government departments, to name just a few. Now, Google has this set up for enterprise users, it should only be a matter of time before regular gmail accounts can use it too.
