Google Turning off Access to Less Secure 3rd Party Apps
Starting this month, Google is turning off access to less secure apps that only access Google Accounts with a username and password. Using this basic authentication makes accounts more vulnerable to hijacking attempts, so they are now requiring you to use a more secure access method. OAuth 2.0 is now required with third-party apps to access Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts. This change is made automatically for Google apps, but for any 3rd party apps, you need to authorize this change or it won't work. Follow the steps below to give authorization for these apps to connect with your Google account and you will be all set!
Access Google Admin Console
- Go to the Google Admin console.
- Log in with your administrator account.
Navigate to Security Settings
- In the Admin console, click on Security.
- If you don't see Security listed, click More controls at the bottom of the page, or select Menu > Security.
Set Up API Permissions
- Under Security, click on Access and Data Control > API controls.
- Under App access control click on Manage Third-Party App Access.
Enforce OAuth 2.0
- Under App access control, you can see a list of configured apps and accessed apps and their access status.
- To ensure only OAuth 2.0 apps are allowed:
- Review the list of apps with access. Click on each one and if it is marked "Verified" with a green check mark, then Google has verified its security measure and you can grant it access.
- Grant access by clicking on the Grant Access to Google data box, then select "trusted" and "save".
- Under Access and Data Control, click on less secure apps and make sure you have "Disable access to less secure apps" selected. This option will enforce OAuth 2.0 security and the next time you log in to that app that only uses your username or password will create errors if they try to access your Google Account.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your Google Workspace accounts only allow access to apps using OAuth, thereby enhancing the security of your organization's data and user accounts.
