Google Drive To Integrate AI-Powered Ransomware Detection Feature

Google Drive will be getting a ransomware detection feature which will scan for this malicious virus and take protective action, according to a blog post from Google on Tuesday.

The AI-powered feature will be available by the end of the year, The Verge reported Google's Group Product Manager Luke Camry as saying.

The software giant uploaded samples of "millions of real-world ransomware" to train the AI model it added to Drive, which will then look for signs that a file has been maliciously modified and take action accordingly.

"The detection engine adapts to novel ransomware by continuously analyzing file changes and incorporating new threat intelligence from VirusTotal," the blog post said.

These actions include automatically pausing the syncing of files on Drive, send users alerts on their desktop and via e-mail, and facilitate to revert their files to an older version.

Drive will be able to detect malware that corrupts files en-masse on Mac and Windows operating systems, and create what it calls a "protective bubble" around the files by halting its sync with the cloud before the virus can spread.

"This helps to stop ransomware from doing what it must to be most effective: corrupt important files and make them unusable," the post said.

The company also noted that Drive, its browser Chrome and Gmail have built-in virus detection that can route the infection of ransomware before it can infest the entire system.

"These defenses can help organizations in industries such as healthcare, retail, education, manufacturing, and government from being disrupted by the types of ransomware attacks that have been so destructive up to this point," the post said.

Ransomware has disrupted major businesses such as fashion retail giant Marks & Spencer and UK-based luxury car brand Jaguar Land Rover, who fell victim to a ransomware virus and had their operations disrupted.