Google Now Encrypts Cloud Storage Data

That doesn't mean the feds can't get it

Google's Cloud Storage service now automatically encrypts all its customer data for free, the company said Thursday.

The encryption has "no visible performance impact," Google Cloud Storage's product manager, Dave Barth, wrote in a blog post. "If you require encryption for your data, this functionality frees you from the hassle and risk of managing your own encryption and decryption keys," he said.

New files added to Cloud Storage will be encrypted as they're uploaded and before they're saved to a drive. Older files will be migrated "in the coming months," Barth said. This is part of Google's emphasis on "forward secrecy," which many Internet companies have yet to adopt.

When asked about how Google handles encrypted data when requested by a government agency, the company repeated in a statement that user information is only provided "in accordance with the law."