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Gmail, the free web-based email service by Google, is planning to introduce an additional verification step for actions such as adding a forwarding address and editing filters.

This added measure will prevent unauthorised individuals with access to your account from manipulating email filters or forwarding messages to new addresses without your awareness.

“Last year, we introduced stronger safeguards around sensitive actions taken in your Google Workspace accounts. We’re extending these protections to sensitive actions taken in Gmail,” the company said in a blogpost.

The sensitive actions include creating a new filter, editing an existing filter, or importing filters. Adding a new forwarding address from the Forwarding and POP/IMAP settings. Enabling the IMAP access status from the settings. (Workspace admins control whether this setting is visible to end users or not)

When these actions are taken, Google will evaluate the session attempting the action, and if it’s deemed risky, it will be challenged with a “Verify it’s you” prompt.

Through a second and trusted factor, such as a 2-step verification code, users can confirm the validity of the action. If a verification challenge is failed or not completed, users are sent a “Critical security alert” notification on trusted devices, Google wrote in a blogpost.

It also said that this feature only supports users that use Google as their identity provider and actions taken within Google products.

In related news, Google recently announced that it is adding Gmail translation to mobile devices – both iOS and Android. “For years, our users have conveniently translated emails in Gmail on the web to over 100 languages,” Google said. “Starting today, we’re excited to announce a native translation integration within the Gmail mobile app that will enable you to seamlessly communicate in a wide range of languages,” it added.

To use this feature, just click “Translate” on the banner that pops up, and then choose the language you want to translate the email into. You can also choose to always translate or never translate specific languages.