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One bright side of this is that Android's (Google's) Messages app has been pushing hard on RCS (the intended successor to SMS) and by default now does auto-upgr
by chrisfosterelli 4y ago
One bright side of this is that Android's (Google's) Messages app has been pushing hard on RCS (the intended successor to SMS) and by default now does auto-upgrade to end-to-end encryption with any other messages users. If you're using signal, you don't get that auto-upgrade, so for conversations with anyone using a "default" google phone setup you were actually getting less net security on your comms compared to using the default SMS app.
I noticed this when I got a new phone and hadn't yet enabled signal to handle SMS and opted to stay with it because of how many conversations I had that were auto-E2E, where before they'd just been text messages. I still prefer signal for the people I know use it though. In short you can still use the signal (protocol at least) on messages, so I can understand why signal would do this.
- seneca 4y agoGiven that it's Google, are you sure they do true end to end encryption. I would be shocked if they don't have access to the contents of your messages.
- londons_explore 4y agoThey do the same as Whatsapp. Ie. it is proper end to end encryption. Encryption keys can be verified manually. But there is no way to know the app doesn't secretly send the key to the server (although a disassembly of the app could catch them red handed if this were the case). The big loophole is: * The messages can be forced to be sent unencrypted if one or other end of the connection doesn't have data connectivity. * The conversation backups are cleartext, so if either you or the other party has backups enabled, the e2e encryption is kinda pointless.
- NoGravitas 4y agoDoes AOSP Messaging do RCS? I am assuming not.
- h4waii 4y agoNo, AOSP Messages does not support RCS. It seems Google is going to let it die to move people to Google Messages.