What the feature does

In short, the AI model watches for signs that a file has been altered in a way consistent with ransomware behavior. It's trained on millions of real-world samples and can adapt to evolving threats by incorporating threat intelligence from online scanners such as VirusTotal. When unusual activity is detected, the syncing of affected files is paused. This approach prevents widespread data corruption across Drive and reduces operational disruption.

Users receive notifications on their desktop and by email, guiding them to restore their files. The built-in web interface in Drive makes restoring multiple files to a healthy state straightforward, avoiding more complex recovery procedures.

How restoration works

The restoration process is designed to be simple and fast. After a ransomware alert, you can view the impacted files in Drive's web interface and selectively roll back changes to a previous healthy version. This capability is particularly valuable for organizations that rely on Drive as a central collaboration hub, where downtime can impact dozens or hundreds of users.

Defaults, admin controls, and deployment

Ransomware detection is enabled by default for Google Drive users on Windows and macOS. Administrators have the option to turn off both the detection feature and the restoration capability from the Admin console. If you operate an older Drive version, syncing will pause automatically, but alerts require Drive version 114 or later to function.

The feature is available to Google Workspace customers on several tiers, including Business Standard/Plus, Enterprise Starter/Standard/Plus, Education Standard/Plus, and Frontline Standard/Plus. File restoration is accessible to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and personal Google accounts.

Privacy and data use

Google states that customer data-such as prompts and generated outputs-will not be used to train generative AI models or for advertising purposes without user permission. This helps balance proactive security with user privacy.

Comparisons with other cloud services

Ransomware safeguards aren't unique to Google. Microsoft 365 offers ransomware detection and recovery for OneDrive, while Dropbox provides a similar protection layer for teams on certain plans. This reflects a broader industry shift toward cloud-native defenses that complement endpoint protection and backups.

Best practices for teams and individuals

To maximize protection, consider these steps:

• Ensure Drive is updated to at least version 114 to receive alerts and safe restoration capabilities.
• Maintain separate backups and regularly test restoration workflows to verify data integrity.
• Educate users about ransomware indicators and establish a clear reporting process for suspicious activity.
• Integrate Drive's AI ransomware detection with your broader security stack for layered protection.

Important considerations and limitations

While AI-based detection can significantly reduce the impact, it does not prevent encryption from occurring on an infected device. The protection focuses on safeguarding cloud-stored copies in Drive and expediting recovery. Combine this feature with endpoint security, regular backups, and a well-practiced incident response plan for comprehensive protection.

Key takeaways

The new AI-powered ransomware detection in Google Drive for desktop offers an effective, user-friendly safeguard against rapid encrypt-and-damage attacks. By automatically pausing syncing when malicious activity is detected and providing a streamlined restoration path, it helps teams resume normal work faster. To get the most from this feature, enable it, confirm Drive version requirements, test your restoration process, and maintain robust backups as part of your security posture.