Connecting SyncSpider to Google Services With New Security Measures

Created by Nicolas Wussler, Modified on Thu, 18 Aug, 2022 at 7:53 AM by Igor Galic

Google recently introduced new restrictions on how users can use their API. The restrictions will be in effect as of June 1st, 2020.

The purpose of the new measures is to protect Google users from leakage or misuse of their personal data on Google.

New restrictions are related to the Gmail and Google Drive apps. More info here.

To access restricted scopes, the connected service (SyncSpider or any other service that wants to access the user's data via the API) has to be verified and has to have a Letter of Assessment to prove that the service is secure and transparent about how they use the data.

SyncSpider complies with all of Google’s requirements for access to restricted scopes, unfortunately, most of the third-party connected services in SyncSpider don't have the Letter of Assessment and therefore don't comply with Google terms.

Because of that, we are not permitted to send data to these services.

There are a few exceptions where it is possible to send data to an unapproved third-party service that doesn’t have the Letter of Assessment and doesn’t violate any of these new restrictions.

We opted for the Domain-wide Installation exception. Domain-wide Installation is suited for G Suite users and this approach allows users to integrate unapproved services without any limitations. Simply speaking, if you are a G Suite user you don't have to perform any additional steps and can directly connect to unapproved services.

FAQ

What modules in SyncSpider are affected?

Google Drive and Gmail.

Does SyncSpider still support regular Google account users?

We do! We still support regular Emails via a SMTP connection using our Email module.

What should I do if I'm a G Suite user?

There is no required action.

Do I have a G Suite account?

If your email address ends with @gmail.com or @googlemail.com your account is not a G Suite account. If your Google account ends with custom domain e.g. @my-company.com then it is a G Suite account.

G Suite users (click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of your Google account to display the following pane):

The This account is managed by <yourCompany> information is displayed in the top of the pane.
Gmail (non-business) users (click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of your Google account to display the following pane):

Your email address ends with the @gmail.com or googlemail.com and there is no information as in the business Google account (above).

What are the Restricted Scopes?

Gmail - Any Gmail API scope that permits an application toRead, create, or modify message bodies (including attachments), metadata, or headers; orControl mailbox access, email forwarding, or admin settings.
Drive - Any Drive API scope that permits an application to read, modify, or manage the content or metadata of a user’s Drive files, without the user individually granting file-by-file access.