End-to-end encryption: what it means and how it works for chats

If you’re a regular user of messaging platforms, you’ve probably heard of end-to-end encryption. It’s a secure communication process that protects data before transfer. Every piece of information remains encrypted throughout the entire transmission process and is decrypted only once it reaches the recipient’s device.

Today, this system is used by all major messaging platforms, from WhatsApp to Telegram, including iMessage and Google Messages.

But how does it work in detail? And what are the main benefits users can enjoy? Here’s everything you need to know about end-to-end encryption.

What is end-to-end encryption

End-to-end encryption is a security standard for online communications. This system transforms readable text into encrypted and unreadable content through encryption. This process is essential for masking sensitive information from unauthorized users.

All data on the sender’s device remains encrypted during transmission, so that decryption can only occur once it reaches the recipient’s device.

Many consider end-to-end encryption the gold standard for protecting sensitive data in all forms of digital communication. It’s no coincidence that organizations around the world use and dedicate resources to effectively manage information.

How End-to-End Encryption Works

To better understand end-to-end encryption and how it works, we must consider each process that leads to the protection and decryption of information.

There are four fundamental steps:

• Encryption
• Transmission
• Decryption
• Authentication

Let’s look at how each of them works and what they do.

Encryption

To start end-to-end encryption, the first fundamental step is encryption. In this phase, algorithms are used to encode the data in an unreadable format.

Only authorized users can read the content, using the decryption key.

Today, there are several E2EE technologies that leverage symmetric and asymmetric combinations. What does this mean? It uses either two different keys to encrypt and decrypt data, or a symmetric encryption scheme.

Transmission

Once the encrypted data packet is complete, the message is sent, and the information is transmitted to the recipient’s device.

In this case, the information is transferred via a common communication channel, such as the internet. The message remains unreadable for both servers and internet service providers. This makes it impossible for hackers and malicious individuals to intercept its contents.

Decryption

Once the data packet has completed its journey, we move on to the third stage of the entire process: decryption. Here, the message has reached the recipient’s device, and therefore the content must be readable to the person opening it.

This is why the private or shared key comes into play, depending on whether asymmetric or symmetric encryption was used, to make the text readable.

Only the recipient’s endpoint has the necessary key to decrypt the information. This is obviously an operation that is performed internally; it is not the individual’s responsibility to enter a password.

Authentication

As mentioned in previous chapters, the last phase is authentication. At this final stage, all the decrypted data must be verified. The reason? To ensure its authenticity and integrity.

During this time, the sender’s digital signature or other access credentials may be verified. The goal is to verify that the data has not been tampered with during transmission.

What are the advantages of end-to-end encryption

End-to-end encryption brings with it a long list of advantages in terms of information protection and data confidentiality. It has now become a fundamental standard for the security of digital communications and is used by almost all dedicated platforms.

Protection from third-party surveillance is one of the most impactful aspects. No one can access the content sent and received, not even authorities (unless authorized). This ensures data security and confidentiality that no other standard can guarantee.

Likewise, there is greater management of compliance with national and international laws and standards. For example, the GDPR, the General Data Protection Regulation.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning the total resistance to any tampering of information and the contribution to improved communication, with a higher level of trust between users (as demonstrated by the data).

How end-to-end encryption works on WhatsApp

WhatsApp was one of the first messaging platforms to introduce end-to-end encryption to protect communications between its registered users. But how does this standard work within the Meta app?

End-to-end encryption on WhatsApp comes into play every time you chat with a person or group within the platform. Every single message and private call is protected. No one can read, listen to, or share the content exchanged, not even WhatsApp itself.

Messages are protected with a sort of virtual lock, which is unlocked only when the recipient receives the message. This is an automatic operation; there are no special settings to manually activate.

This technology was implemented in 2016 following several cases in which hackers and malicious individuals illegally obtained large amounts of private data and exploited the technology to harm the affected individuals.

How does end-to-end encryption integrate with the work of Law Enforcement? As specified by WhatsApp on its official pages, each request is reviewed taking into account applicable laws and regulations. Priority is given to the most urgent requests, and information is published only regarding cases where the law requires it.

Which platforms use end-to-end encryption today

There are many other platforms that now use end-to-end encryption to protect user communications and the privacy of messages exchanged. These range from messaging apps to email services, through business collaboration tools and much more.

Among the main ones, Signal stands out, considered one of the most secure chat apps overall. The same goes for Telegram, where end-to-end encryption is not enabled by default but can only be used via secret chats.

Meta has extended the standard to its other services, such as Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct, while for iMessage, all messages exchanged between Apple devices are encrypted.

When it comes to email, Gmail and ProtonMail are the two main providers offering end-to-end encryption to their users. Finally, there are meeting tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, cloud storage services like Proton Drive, and password managers like 1Password and LastPass.

Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: Crittografia end-to-end, significato e come funziona per le chat