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  • Thu. Nov 14th, 2024

end-to-end encryption

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End-to-end (E2E) encryption protects information in a way that has transformed human rights organisations’, law-enforcement agencies’, and technology companies’ outlook on their ability to access and use information.

About End-to-end encryption (E2EE):

  • Encryption is a way of protecting data from unauthorised access or tampering.
  • It works by transforming the data into a secret code that only the intended recipient can decipher. This comes in useful for various cases, such as securing online communications, storing sensitive information, and verifying digital identities.
  • There are two main types of encryption:
    • Symmetric: It uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt the data. In symmetric encryption, the key used to encrypt some information is also the key required to decrypt it.
    • Asymmetric: It uses a pair of keys: one public and one private. The public key can be shared with anyone, but the private key must be kept secret.
  • The term encryption is generally used when referring to the privacy of stored data, while end-to-end encryption protects data as it’s transferred between a location – which is crucial wherever there’s a rapid exchange of information.
  • In an E2EE-enabled app, only the person on each end – the sender and receiver – can read any exchanged messages.
  • This is because messages get encrypted on your device before being sent and only are decrypted when they reach your intended recipient.

Issues with End-to-end encryption

  • Some potent malware can also ‘snoop’ on your messages by infiltrating your device via other means – an SMS and reading them before they are encrypted.
  • The company that installs E2E encryption on its products can install a backdoor or an exception that allows the company to surmount the encryption and access the messages.

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