Encrypted cloud storage
Google Drive privacy rating
Cloud storage and file sharing from Google, integrated with Docs, Sheets and other Google services. Files are encrypted at rest with keys Google holds, not end-to-end.
Summary
Google Drive scores 44 out of 100 (grade D) on the encrypted cloud storage criteria. It meets 3 of 8 criteria: no ads or data sales, transparency report and tells users about requests. It partly meets independent audit and TLS configuration. It does not meet open source, no trackers or telemetry and security headers. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act. Automated tests: SSL Labs grade B and Mozilla HTTP Observatory grade B-.
Score 44 out of 100. How scoring works
Criteria
- No
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No
No trackers or telemetry Weight 3 of 3
Are the website and apps free of third-party trackers, with any analytics anonymous and any telemetry off by default?
Google collects activity, device and usage data across its services, including Drive, and this cannot be fully turned off.
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Yes
No ads or data sales Weight 2 of 3
Is the product funded without advertising, ad targeting or selling user data?
No ads in Drive, and Google states Drive content is never used for advertising. Extra storage is sold as a subscription.
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Partial
Independent audit Weight 2 of 3
Has an independent security or privacy audit been published within the last three years?
Google Workspace, which includes Drive, has third-party SOC 2 audits. Only the SOC 3 summary report is public.
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Yes
Transparency report Weight 2 of 3
Does the provider regularly publish how many government and legal requests it receives and how it responds?
Google publishes counts of government requests for user data and how it responds, updated twice a year.
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Yes
Tells users about requests Weight 1 of 3
Does the provider promise to tell users about requests for their data, unless a court forbids it?
Google emails the user before disclosing data in response to a government request, unless prohibited by law.
Automated tests
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Partial
TLS configuration Weight 2 of 3
Does the website pass the Qualys SSL Labs test with a grade of A or better?
Grade B
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No
Security headers Weight 1 of 3
Does the website pass the Mozilla HTTP Observatory test with a grade of A or better?
Grade B- (65/100+)
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Not tested yet
Modern web standards Weight 1 of 3
Does the website score 90% or higher on the Internet.nl website test?
Not tested yet.