A NEW report has revealed what is and what is not encrypted in end-to-end encryption apps.
You may think that every message is secure when you use an end-to-end encrypted app but you're wrong, the Washington Post reports.
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First, let us break down what encrypted apps are and how they work.
WHAT ARE ENCRYPTED APPS
End-to-end Encryption apps scramble messages and calls in transit so that only the sender and recipient can read them.
This prevents hackers and third parties from accessing your data and any sensitive information you may share with a friend or family member.
Popular end-to-end encrypted apps include WhatsApp, Apple's iMessage, and Signal.
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However, as Shira Ovide writes for the Post, not all messages you send on these apps are encrypted.
"That’s not necessarily bad. Each end-to-end encryption choice has trade-offs," Ovide writes.
"More privacy and security could also make it harder for you to use an app, or can shield activity of terrorists and child predators," she added.
Still, as more users worry about privacy, it's important to know exactly what is secure and what is not.
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To help users with this, Ovide shared a guide based on five important questions.
Is the content of every message automatically end-to-end encrypted?
WhatsApp: Yes
Apple’s Messages: No
Messages by Google: No
Meta Messenger: No
Signal: Yes
"The biggest encryption caveat is for the built-in texting apps on iPhones and most Android phones in the United States," Ovide said.
This means that the texts are likely only encrypted as long as everyone else in the chat is using the same app.
Are backup copies of your messages automatically encrypted, with no option for the app company to unscramble them?
WhatsApp: Yes
Apple’s Messages: No
Messages by Google: Yes*
Meta Messenger: No
Signal: Yes
Does the app save your account details in a way it can access?
WhatsApp: Yes
Apple’s Messages: Yes
Messages by Google: Yes
Meta Messenger: Yes
Signal: Yes
"Most end-to-end encrypted apps save some 'metadata,' or details about you or what you do with the app," Ovide explained.
"They can retrieve the metadata if necessary," she added.
What's more, the app companies aren’t very specific about which metadata they save and can unlock.
Are disappearing messages an option?
WhatsApp: Yes
Apple’s Messages: No
Messages by Google: No
Meta Messenger: Yes
Signal: Yes
"Even with end-to-end encrypted texts, someone on the receiving end could leak them or turn them into the police," Ovide said.
"For extra privacy, WhatsApp, Meta Messenger, and Signal have an option to set texts to automatically delete in as little as 24 hours from the phones of everyone in a chat," she added.
Does the app use the Signal protocol?
WhatsApp: Yes
Apple’s Messages: No
Messages by Google: Yes
Meta Messenger: Yes
Signal: Yes
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The Signal Protocol is a non-federated cryptographic protocol that provides end-to-end encryption for phone calls and messages.
"The Signal protocol is considered a gold standard. No one yet has found holes in the end-to-end encryption technology," Ovide said.
