Protect Your Data with Drive for Desktop Ransomware Detection

Google Drive for desktop users can now recover their important data if they fall victim to a ransomware attack.

According to recent Google Workspace updateYour Desktop Drive will now have AI-powered ransomware detection that will stop syncing if it detects a ransomware attack.

As a result, the ransomware will not affect your documents stored in Google Drive or Disk for computers on another device. Once you remove the infection, you can easily restore files on the infected computer from an unaffected Google Drive.

This useful feature comes at a crucial time as the number of ransomware incidents is rapidly increasing.

The rise of ransomware

Ransomware groups are growing. Searchlight Cyber ​​Report found that there were 73 ransomware groups in the first half of 2024, a 56% increase from the 46 groups identified in the first half of 2023.

As more ransomware groups emerge, it is not surprising that attacks are occurring more frequently. The data clearly shows this upward trend.

According to Ransomware Impact ReportAccording to a survey of 386 IT professionals, 24% of organizations were attacked by ransomware in 2025. This marks a significant increase from 2024, when only 18.6% of incidents were reported.

Contributing to this trend, BlackFog, a leading security firm, also reported a record number of ransomware attacks in the first quarter of 2025. The company actually witnessed 45% increase in ransomware attacks compared to the first quarter of 2024.

With the rapid increase in ransomware attacks, the costs of mitigation and damage control have also increased. Global ransomware costs have risen to $57 billion annually this year, up from $20 billion in 2021, according to the study. assessment from Cybersecurity Ventures.

As ransomware attacks rise and become more destructive, the latest update to Google Drive for Desktop aims to offer users faster recovery and improved protection. Let's see how to do this.

How Drive for Desktop ransomware detection works

The new ransomware detection feature in Drive for Desktop uses artificial intelligence trained on millions of real-life ransomware samples to identify key ransomware signatures. This includes detecting large volumes of encrypted or corrupted files.

Now, you may be wondering how this feature can fend off a new ransomware attack that uses new techniques to evade detection, especially if the AI ​​model is not trained on this strain.

To address this issue, the ransomware detection engine has integrated threat information from Total virusesrenowned online malware scanner.

If there are signs of a ransomware attack, the affected files will automatically stop syncing to your Desktop Drive. This helps prevent ransomware from spreading on an organization's drive. This multi-layered approach provides not only early detection, but also the ability to quickly restore users.

Additionally, you will receive an alert on your desktop and email with details on how to recover your files. Google Drive allows you recover multiple files back to their previous healthy state in just a few clicks.

The ransomware protection feature supports multiple file formats, including Sheets, Docs, PDFs, Slides, and more. It is distributed in open beta.

As part of this rollout, most commercial Google Workspace plans will gain ransomware detection, alerting, and recovery capabilities at no additional cost. If you are a regular Drive for PC user, you can recover your files for free.

Moreover, ransomware detection and file recovery functions will be improved. enabled for Workspace users default. The administrator will have the right to disable them. To enable detection alerts, you need to install the latest version of Drive for Desktop (version 114 or later).

If you're worried that Google Drive for PC might be using your data to train its artificial intelligence to detect ransomware, Google assures you that's not the case.

His official blog states:

Google does not use customer data, including suggestions and generated output, for advertising purposes or to train or fine-tune its generative artificial intelligence models without the customer's permission or instructions.

Google is not alone in the fight against ransomware. Other cloud providers such as OneDrive And Dropboxalso offers anti-ransomware functionality similar to Drive for Desktop.

Industry influence and reaction

Ransomware attacks are not only becoming more frequent every year, but they are also becoming more dangerous.

Thanks to Google Workspace, which has over 3 billion usersRansomware detection in Drive for Desktop is a significant step forward in improving data security.

Essentially, it provides Drive for Desktop users with a built-in layer of security against one of the most destructive cyber threats of our time.

Industry experts consider this a timely step. Security analysts emphasize that while this feature alone will not eliminate ransomware infections, it can significantly reduce downtime and data loss.

This was stated by Bob O'Donnell, president and chief analyst of TECHnaanalysis Research. prepared statement,

By seamlessly integrating AI-powered ransomware detection and recovery capabilities into Drive, Google is helping organizations innovatively avoid an increasingly common and dangerous threat, while also empowering end users to continue working…

Google's update makes Drive for Desktop more than just a data store. Now it's an active defense against the growing wave of ransomware.

Sandeep Babu is a cybersecurity writer with over four years of hands-on experience. He looked at password managers, VPNs, cloud storage, antivirus software and other security tools that people use every day. He follows a strict testing process: installing each tool on his system and actively using it for at least seven days before writing about it. His reviews are always based on actual testing and not speculation. Sandeep's work has appeared on prominent technology platforms such as Geekflare, MakeUseOf, Cloudy, PrivacyJournaland much more. He received his MA in English Literature from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has also earned industry-recognized certifications such as Google Cybersecurity Professional Certification and ISC2 Certification in Cybersecurity. When he's not writing, he's usually testing security tools or re-watching comedy shows like Your health, Seinfeld, Still a gameor The Big Bang Theory.

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