Google has announced that by the end of 2025, all Google Cloud accounts will require multi-factor authentication (MFA) as a security measure.
This mandate will apply to all admins and users accessing Google Cloud services, although general consumer Google accounts are not affected.
The MFA rollout will take place in three stages to allow for a smooth transition. Starting this month, Google will begin reminding users who haven’t enabled MFA to activate it. Early next year, Google will prompt all existing and new Cloud users who only use passwords to add MFA across platforms like Google Cloud Console and Firebase Console. Finally, by the end of 2025, MFA will be required for all Google Cloud users, including federated accounts.
Google’s move to mandatory MFA is in response to growing cybersecurity threats and follows research from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which indicates MFA can reduce the likelihood of account compromise by 99%. To make MFA accessible, Google offers user-friendly options like passkeys that incorporate biometric data for easier authentication.
For those who want to set up MFA on their Google Cloud accounts now, users can navigate to the “2-Step Verification” option under security settings at ‘security.google.com’ and follow the instructions.
