Google Account Takeovers Are Rising — Here’s What Business Owners Need to Know

I wanted to put something on your radar that Google confirmed this week — and it matters for any business owner, whether you’re running lean or managing a full team.

There’s been a sharp increase in Google account takeovers. That sounds dramatic, but the issue itself is pretty practical. Forbes has a solid overview if you want the quick take:

Google Confirms Account Takeovers — Change This Chrome Setting Now
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/12/07/google-confirms-account-takeovers-change-this-chrome-setting-now/

This isn’t a “panic and unplug everything” situation. It’s more like, “let’s take five minutes to be smarter about a tool we all rely on.”

What’s actually happening (no tech dictionary required)

Attackers have figured out how to steal the small behind-the-scenes pieces that keep you logged into your Google account — things like cookies and tokens. You never see these, but they’re what make Gmail, Drive, and your apps open smoothly without constant logins.

Google has confirmed that these types of attacks are increasing. TechRepublic and others are echoing the same trend.

And here’s the part worth paying attention to:
If someone gets into your Google account, they get access to everything tied to it.
That includes files, emails, saved passwords, payment info, browsing history, and synced data.

If you use Chrome Sync, the amount of accessible information grows significantly.

Why this matters for business owners

Most business owners use Google as the hub for almost everything — not intentionally, but because it’s convenient.

Think about what your Google account touches:

  • Email
  • Google Drive
  • Banking and payroll logins
  • Software credentials saved in Chrome
  • Client communication
  • Internal documents and notes

If someone slips into your account, they can impersonate you, access financial systems, reset passwords, or dig into client information. It’s not carelessness — it’s simply how interconnected everything is now.

And yes, Chrome’s convenience plays a role

Chrome is great at storing passwords, payment cards, autofill data, and browsing history. That convenience becomes a problem if your Google account is ever compromised, because all of that information becomes accessible at once.

That’s why Google (and Forbes) are recommending that everyone take a moment to review their Chrome Sync settings — especially password syncing. This is one of the easiest ways to limit your exposure.

Why small businesses feel the impact more

Hackers know small organizations:

  • Move quickly
  • Wear too many hats
  • Often use personal devices
  • Rely on tools that save time

This makes small businesses attractive targets — not because you’re “less secure,” but because attackers know where convenience creates opportunity.

What Google is doing about it

Google is rolling out stronger protections behind the scenes, including:

  • Passkeys (a more secure, passwordless login option)
  • Hardware-based authentication like YubiKeys
  • Device-bound session credentials (so stolen cookies can’t be reused)

These measures are powerful — but only if your accounts are set up to use them.

Here’s what to do next (quick, simple, and absolutely worth doing)

1️⃣ Move business passwords out of Chrome

Use a dedicated password manager. It’s safer and gives you better control.

2️⃣ Review your Chrome Sync settings — and change the key setting Forbes highlights

Here are the exact steps Forbes refers to:

How to adjust Chrome Sync to protect your account:

  1. Open Chrome (desktop).
  2. Click the three dots in the top-right → Settings.
  3. Select “You and Google.”
  4. Click “Sync and Google Services.”
  5. Choose “Manage What You Sync.”
  6. Change the setting from “Sync everything” to “Customize Sync.”
  7. Turn OFF syncing for:
    • Passwords
    • Payment information
    • Addresses & autofill
    • (Optional) History
  8. (Optional but recommended) Go to Allow Chrome sign-in → toggle OFF, so Chrome doesn’t automatically sign you into the browser when you sign into a Google site.

This one change dramatically reduces how much data an attacker could access through your Google account.

3️⃣ Turn on strong multi-factor authentication

Best options:

  • Passkeys
  • Physical security keys
  • App-based MFA

SMS codes are better than nothing, but they’re no longer the strongest option.

4️⃣ Check which devices are logged into your Google account

Remove anything:

  • Old
  • Unused
  • Unrecognized
  • Belonging to former employees

It takes two minutes and is always worth doing.

5️⃣ If you’re unsure where to start, we can help

We can quickly review:

  • Your account security
  • Chrome settings
  • What’s syncing
  • Which accounts need stronger protections

This isn’t a big project — it’s digital housekeeping that prevents major problems later.

Bottom line

Google isn’t trying to scare anyone. They’re pointing out that attackers are getting better at taking advantage of everyday user habits — especially around Chrome.

A few small adjustments can drastically reduce your risk and keep your business data safe.

If you want support reviewing your setup or tightening things up, just reach out. We’re happy to help.