Can Blocking the Internet Entirely Prevent Security Breaches? Google Wants to Find Out

How far would your business go to protect itself from threats? One of the largest technology companies in the world, Google, is going as far as possible without compromising the productivity of its employees: blocking the Internet entirely. How will Google get away with doing this while retaining efficiency? Read on and find out.

Some Computers Won’t Have Access to the Internet

It might seem a little far-fetched to think that any business in today’s age of connectivity could forego the opportunities presented by the Internet, but we need to consider the extenuating circumstances surrounding Google that make this kind of option viable. Many large technology companies employ thousands of workers and have infrastructures that power businesses all over the world, housing valuable data that cybercriminals would stop at nothing to get. Naturally, Google is a high-profile target, and we’re sure that their security analysts see countless attempts to break into their systems.

Just like any other business, Google could, although unlikely, suffer from a data breach of some sort through the usual methods. If a hacker cannot break through with ordinary means, they might resort to phishing tactics, which target, you guessed it, the employees. By blocking the Internet for many employees, Google would essentially be cutting them off from any exposure to the vast majority of phishing attempts that could be launched at them, increasing security.

The Internet-free program piloted by Google works because Google’s operational infrastructure largely depends on internal intranet resources. They can still access Google Drive, Gmail, and YouTube accounts on their devices, but other Internet access is simply not available. This program was originally meant to be mandatory for a 2,500-employee sampling, but rather than make it mandatory, Google has opened it up to whoever wants to participate.

Will This Attempt Succeed Though?

It’s not clear how successful these limitations will be in preventing security breaches, or how it might impact productivity or workplace opinion. What is for sure, however, is that it will take some time before we can glean any wisdom from such a program.

Now, we know that you’re not Google, and we know that you might not have an intranet in place which would let you disconnect from the Internet entirely. However, security is still important, and you need to make it a priority so that you don’t find yourself in the type of situation that Google is trying to prevent with these efforts.

We can arm your business with the security tools it needs to stay secure, and we can train your employees on security best practices while we’re at it. To learn more, call us at (978) 482-2020.