Secure Your Google Admin Account: Best Practices for Enhanced Protection

Securing your Google Admin account is paramount to protecting your organization’s sensitive data and ensuring the integrity of your operations. By implementing recommended access control and security features, you can fortify your account against unauthorized access and potential threats. This document outlines best practices that you can use to secure your Google Admin account, focusing on measures such as 2-Step Verification, additional super admin accounts, limited sign-in duration, and the use of restricted admin roles for daily tasks.

To safeguard the integrity of your Google Admin account, you can implement the following access control and security features:

Implement 2-Step Verification :
It is highly recommended to enable 2-Step Verification for all individuals within your organization, with special emphasis on administrators and users who handle sensitive data, such as financial records and employee information. By combining something users know (like their password) with something they possess (such as a physical key or access code), 2SV provides an additional layer of protection against unauthorized access, even if a password is compromised. It is recommended to enforce 2SV using a FIDO-compliant security key where feasible for enhanced security.

Establish an Additional Super Admin Account:
It is prudent for your business to have multiple super admin accounts, each managed by different individuals. In the unfortunate event that your primary super admin account is lost or compromised, having a backup super admin account ensures that critical tasks can still be performed while the primary account is being recovered. You can designate another user as a super admin by assigning them the respective role.

Limit Super Admin Account Sign-In Duration:
Super admins should adopt the practice of signing in to their accounts only when necessary to perform specific administrative tasks. Remaining signed in for prolonged periods unnecessarily exposes the account to potential malicious activities. Therefore, we recommend signing out of the super admin account when administrative duties are completed.

Utilize an Account with Limited Admin Roles for Daily Administrative Tasks:
For routine administrative activities, it is advisable to use an account with restricted admin roles. This reduces the exposure and potential risks associated with using a super admin account for tasks that do not require full administrative privileges.

By implementing these best practices, you can significantly enhance the security of your Google Admin account, mitigating potential threats and ensuring the confidentiality of your organization’s sensitive data.