This announcement was part of Google Cloud Next ‘24. Visit the Workspace Blog to learn more about the next wave of innovations in Workspace, including enhancements to Gemini for Google Workspace.
What’s changing
To protect our customers from malicious actors taking sensitive Admin actions, we’re launching multi-party approvals where one admin must approve certain sensitive actions initiated by another. Multi-party approvals will be required for the following settings:
- 2-Step verification
- Account recovery
- Advanced Protection
- Google session control
- Login Challenges
- Passwordless (beta)
This feature is available for eligible Workspace customers with multiple super admin accounts — see the “Getting started” section below for more information.
Who’s impacted
Admins
Why it’s important
Multi-party approvals adds an extra layer of security for sensitive actions taken in the Admin console by ensuring no sensitive action happens in a silo and, most importantly, helps prevent unauthorized or accidental changes from being made. This added layer of approval helps ensure actions are being taken appropriately and not too broadly or too often. Additionally, this is more convenient for admins because the action is executed automatically after approval and the requester doesn’t need to take additional action. Multi-party approvals makes super admins aware of what changes are being attempted and gives them the opportunity to accept or reject these sensitive actions.
Outlined below is an example of the feature in action, in this case there is an attempt to make a change to 2-step verification policies:
When 2-step verification changes are attempted, admins will be required to submit the change to a super admin for approval.
Super admins can review and take action on these requests in the Admin console by navigating to Security > Multi-party approval. Super admins will also receive email alerts when a 2-step verification change is requested or any other protected action is attempted.
Admins can open a specific approval request to view more information including who is impacted by the change, what the configuration was before the change and what it will be after the change.
Getting started
- Admins:
- This feature is available for eligible Workspace customers with two or more super admin accounts. Multi-party approvals are OFF by default and can be turned on in the Admin console by going to Security > Multi-party approval settings. Visit the Help Center to learn more about multi-party approvals for sensitive actions.
Rollout pace
- Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 9, 2024
Availability
- Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus, and Cloud Identity Premium customers
Resources
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Multi-party approval for sensitive actions
- Workspace Blog: Empowering businesses of all sizes with new generative AI and security innovations in Google Workspace
