High-capacity Gmail will automatically scan for viruses and spyware each time a user sends and receives a message, according to an information page on Google's site. Many of Google's competitors in the e-mail sector, such as Yahoo and Hotmail, introduced similar security software some time ago. A test version of Gmail was launched in April 2004, and the company made its official debut last spring.
It's unclear why the company has waited until now to offer an antivirus application. Previously, Google blocked transmission of executable attachments, but its new antivirus program offers broader protection.
A Google representative did not return a call on Friday for further details.
Mountain View, California-based Google has increasingly had to consider security risks as the search engine's profile has exploded. The search giant has increasingly become a target of hackers in the past few years, and Google has quickly found that security hobbyists and professionals are very willing to find and publicise flaws.
If a virus is found in an attachment, Google's antivirus software will attempt to scrub the file so that the information on the file can still be read, according to an information page on Google's site. If it fails to remove the virus, the software will lock the file so that it can't be downloaded.
The software will also prevent a user from sending an infected file, Google said.
