Phishing attackers won't be happy about this one!
Google will be arming Gmail users with the power of knowledge to thwart malicious senders. The search-engine tech giant will notify users that an email is authentic, meaning it was delivered from a trusted source, by attaching BIMI logos to legitimate emails, The Verge reported.
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What exactly are BIMI logos? Firstly, BIMI stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification. Secondly, with a BIMI logo, Gmail users can rest assured that the email they've received is from an authentic, trustworthy source — they needn't worry about inadvertently clicking malicious links.
Google is launching a new email standard with BIMI. The tech megacorp is allowing organizations to authenticate their email addresses and corporate logos by submitting them to its DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) platform.
“For organizations that want to create a trusted brand presence over email, BIMI is a great opportunity, incentivizing them to implement strong authentication, which in turn will lead to a safer, more trusted email ecosystem for everyone,” said Seth Blank, chair of the AuthIndicators Working Group and vice president of Standards and Technologies at Valimail.
When a validated email passes Google's security checks, Gmail will display the company's BIMI logo as an indication to users that it was sent from a trusted source.
BIMI logos will benefit many areas of the Gmail realm: email recipients will have increased confidence that their inbox is more secure, companies can strengthen their brand's trust and reliance, and Google gets a pat on the back for tightening anti-abuse security measures.
Google will trial BIMI logos with a limited number of Gmail users in the coming weeks. In the meantime, Google is encouraging more organizations to submit their emails and corporate logos to its DMARC platform to secure BIMI icons before the search-engine tech giant rolls out the new feature to all users.
