Brian Prince is reporting today that Google is considering enforcing SSL encryption by default for its Google Apps users. It's a good idea--as eWEEK Labs' own Andrew Garcia discussed recently, your on-the-go applications can have an awful lot to say about you.

In fact, enforcing HTTPS encryption for Google Apps by default is such a good idea that you shouldn't wait for Google to implement it. Whether you administer a Google Apps domain or are an individual user of the service, you should enable the mandatory SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption yourself, right now.

Here's how you do it:

• Step One: Visit https://www.google.com/a/cpanel/YOURDOMAINHERE and log in.
• Step Two: Click "Domain settings" in the menu bar across the top of the screen.
• Step Three: Check the box marked "Enable SSL."

• Step Four: Click the "Save changes" button.
• Step Five: Take a look at the General Settings page within one of your managed Gmail accounts, and confirm that your users have no choice but to connect via SSL.

If you're a regular Gmail user, or if you have a Google Apps account without an established SSL connection policy, you can use this same settings page radio button to upgrade Gmail security on your own.