Google Cloud will make multi-factor authentication mandatory for all users

Google Cloud will soon make multi-factor authentication (MFA) mandatory for all users, the platform’s Vice President of Engineering announced on Tuesday. The company says this decision was made in an effort to strengthen the security of its cloud platform without impacting the convenient online experience it offers. Its rollout will start in phases, and businesses and users will receive notification from Google Cloud prior to the implementation of the mandatory MFA.

Mandatory MFA on Google Cloud

In a blog afterMayank Upadhyay, Vice President of Engineering at Google Cloud has announced that the platform will make MFA mandatory for all users who currently use a password as the sole means of authentication when logging in. Currently, 70 percent of Cloud users already benefit from additional MFA authentication, the company says. This measure will be implemented worldwide in phases from 2025 for both companies and individual users.

To enable MFA for a Google Account, users must do the following:

1. Access the security settings by going to the security.google.com website.
2. Select Two-step authentication under the How to sign in to Google tab.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions, such as adding a phone number, to complete the process.

   

   Phased rollout of MFA by Google Cloud
   Photo credits: Google

Phase one of the rollout plan starts this month and will encourage MFA adoption by providing helpful reminders and more information about the technology in the Cloud Console. It will also provide resources for planning and a smooth transition to MFA. Phase two will begin in early 2025 and MFA will become mandatory for new and existing Google Cloud users. Users must enroll in MFA to use platforms such as Google Cloud Console, Firebase Console, and gCloud.

Phase three of the rollout will begin in late 2025 and the use of MFA will be mandatory for those using federated authentication while logging into Google Cloud. They are given flexible options for signing in, such as enabling MFA with the primary identity provider or using it directly through the Google Account.