Last year Google Cloud launched an open beta that enabled admins to configure a session length for Google Console and Cloud SDK. Now, the tech giant is enhancing this feature by allowing users to exempt some specific applications from the session length control feature. The company says this new update is intended to make it easier for users to roll out the feature on their domain. Here’s how this feature works and what’s changing with the new update.
Google Cloud Session Control Features
The session length control feature in Google Cloud applies a length to the company’s own GCP admin tools, as well as the third-party applications that use the cloud-platform scope. The applications require the user to reauthenticate when the configured session expires. Though this reauthentication is required to reduce unauthorized access to sensitive user data, it makes some applications work improperly. For example, in some applications, the re-auth scenario does not work properly, which causes confusing application crashes or stack traces.
Through this update, Google wants the users to have an option that lets them exempt such apps from periodic reauthentication. So the company has brought a new update that allows Cloud Identity admins to add these apps to a trusted list, which temporarily exempts the apps from session length policy. However, this feature will be off by default, and admins can enable it manually using the “Exempt Trusted apps” setting. On the other hand, the end-users will have no setting for this feature.
Release Date and Availability
Google has already enabled this feature on both Rapid and Scheduled Release domains starting November 23, 2020. It will be available to Google Workspace Essentials and Business Starter, Business Standard, and Business Plus customers. Also, users on Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus will receive this in the admin center. Further, the new update will also be available to G Suite Basic, Business, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits, and Cloud Identity customers.
