Nest Gets The Google Advanced Protection Program And That's A Big Deal

Google has announced that its Advanced Protection Program is now available for Nest. With this new support, Nest device owners can use the same Google accounts on both the Nest devices and Advanced Protection. This is a change from the previous restriction that allowed a Google account to only be used with one or the other, but not both at the same time.

The Advanced Protection Program is designed to protect personal Google accounts against phishing attacks by requiring a physical security key or the Google Smart Lock app. As well, this security option blocks the installation of apps from outside of the Play Store, as well as limiting which apps can access Google data like Drive files.

To enroll in Advanced Protection, you'll need either two physical security keys or an iPhone running iOS 10.0 or higher or an Android phone running version 7 or higher. Google recommends that in cases where a phone is used, a physical security key is also added in case the phone is stolen or lost.

In an announcement on June 1, the company said that bringing the program to Nest has been "one of the top requests" it has received from its users. With this new support, Nest owners can use Advanced Protection and their Nest devices with the same Google account. This joins several other security features Nest has introduced this year.

If you're an interested Nest device owner, you can find out more about using Advanced Protection on the Google Support website. The company says that it 'strongly' recommends that if a Nest user is enrolled in Advanced Protection, that every home member with access to their devices also enroll in the security program.