The rollout of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messaging is likely to take months, despite an urgent call from the FBI to adopt the technology immediately after a series of China-backed hacks. The GSMA, governing body behind the standard, says it’s working with industry stakeholders to update the market in the coming months.
The GSMA recently teased E2EE between iOS and Android devices but emphasized that progress is ongoing. This follows a string of security breaches at US telecom companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, which were exploited by Chinese hackers.
To mitigate such breaches, the FBI has urged Americans to use encrypted messaging services. End-to-end encryption can make it harder for hackers to access user data, even if it’s stolen. The agency advises ensuring that network traffic is end-to-end encrypted “to the maximum extent possible.”
RCS messaging has been available since 2019 and offers some form of encryption between Android users via the Google Messages app. However, this only encrypts messages in transit, leaving them vulnerable to interception.
Source: https://uk.pcmag.com/ios/155925/despite-fbi-warning-rcs-encryption-could-take-months