Referring to lessons learned after it was attacked last year, by an entity residing in China, CEO Eric Schmidt says that "Google is now particularly paranoid" when it comes to security. Schmidt made the comment during a question and answer session at Google's Atmosphere 2010 conference to about 200 CIOs.

The attack vector was traced to the use of a (then) undiscovered flaw in Internet Explorer 6 browser. Once compromised, the terminal was then successfully used as a beachhead to launch further incursions into the network. On this, Schmidt urged that companies update all systems within their network.

Where Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is concerned, the company has locked down its systems to a "greater degree" than before. Interestingly, it seems that Google has also accelerated plans to move to a web-based system. It might appear on the surface that Google is simply advocating a policy of "eating your own dog food," in which a company consumes its own products and services to exhibit confidence that it is superior to competitors.

The motivation to move toward web-based products, though, seems centered on a belief that they are superior from a security point of view. "Our web services and web platforms will be inherently more secure" than alternatives, Schmidt said. "Hold us to this."

For more on this story:
- check out the article at CNET News

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