Google lifted the lid on an update to its productivity software suite that will help clarify why users are blocked in their apps.
As explained in a new blog post (opens in new tab)IT teams that rely on the Context-Aware Access capability to establish granular access control can now provide end users with more information about the conditions under which they can use their applications.
Previously, employees whose access to Google Workspace blocked services had few options other than contacting the IT department, but the new tool should increase the likelihood that users will resolve issues without assistance.
Hybrid work and identity management
Since the emergence of hybrid workidentity and access management has become even more important to the business, with employees no longer operating exclusively within the relative security of the corporate network perimeter.
The goal is to ensure that remote workers can access all the resources they need to work, without creating holes in the security posture that could be exploited by cybercriminals.
As part of this process, many IT departments choose to establish a strict set of conditions that must be met for applications to work as expected, through features such as Context-Based Access.
“Context-based access allows administrators to assign granular access control policies to applications based on attributes such as user identity, location, device security status, IP address, etc.,” Google explained. “When a user or device does not meet the requirements, they will not be able to access the respective applications.”
Until now, the only course of action for employees locked into their apps was to send a ticket to the IT desk, which Google says creates “unnecessary delays, churn and support calls”.
With the latest Workspace update, however, IT administrators can choose to provide locked-out employees with additional context as to why they are banned, arming them with the information they need to resolve the issue on their own.
The feature is currently rolling out to all premium customers, who should gain access within the next two weeks. Unfortunately, the new tool will only be extended to Enterprise Plus, Education Plus and Cloud Identity Premium subscription plan customers at this time.