Cryptography is on the way to RCS, safeguarding Android and iPhone

The RCS Universal Profile entails a collection of characteristics and technologies that have been standardized by GSMA to allow widespread implementation of RCS in various products and services. The latest iteration, RCS Universal Profile 2.7, has brought in the provision for more advanced messaging capabilities like responses, the ability to edit sent messages, and enhanced message indicators.

RCS has now been integrated into iOS 18 by Apple, substituting the outdated SMS mechanism for messaging with Android devices. This has led to a considerable enhancement in communication between the platforms – resolving the vexation of users who were unable to share high-quality images, for instance.

Despite this, the absence of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) stands out as a notable vulnerability in message security, potentially prompting business users to resort to alternative messaging platforms for transmitting sensitive data. Apple’s proprietary messaging platform does support E2EE but not when exchanging messages with an Android device. This is why colored bubbles are used to indicate when a message exchange is secure. In an RCS conversation with an Android user, you will be notified by a small grey label in the text field displaying “RCS Message”.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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