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| What is end-to-end encryption and why should you use it |
Many communication applications have been discovered in recent years. This includes WhatsApp and Zoom in on end-to-end encryption, which is a unique type of encryption used in communication apps.
The basics of cryptography apply to this type. It basically converts readable data into unreadable data, thus preventing third parties from viewing the content of the message or transmitted data.
Like any technology, end-to-end encryption has its advantages and disadvantages, and there are alternative technologies that can replace it and that's what we're talking about today.
End-to-end encryption and its alternatives
End-to-end encryption depends on the encoding of the message by the sending device. The device is considered the first messenger and in this case the application encrypts the message and sends it to the other messenger.
A direct alternative to this technique is to send the message without encrypting it first. This is the least secure way, for example text messages are not encrypted.
With end-to-end encryption, the message is sent and encrypted by the company's server, received and decrypted on the recipient's phone, the second participant.
Another encryption technology is Encryption-In-Transit, which is used in Google Cloud. In this technique the message and its contents are encrypted on the sender's device, then the message is encrypted to reach the server, then decrypted on the server, then encrypted again and sent to the end of the receiving device.
Although this technology encrypts and decrypts data more than once, it has a security vulnerability, which is the ability to view its contents while it is being decrypted and re-encrypted on the server. The server can also automatically save the content after decryption.
The main advantage of two-party encryption is that it can protect the entire message. It can also prevent its content from being viewed by the recipient only. A message can be described as being stored in a box where only the other party has its key.
This encryption technology solves a major security problem, which means that the content of a message can change during transmission. Since the sent content cannot be edited, the message will be destroyed if you try to do so.
The disadvantages of this technique
From the above perspective, this technology provides a high level of security and privacy. But that doesn't mean it's flawless.
One of the downsides is that this encryption protects the content in transit, but at the same time it does not hide from the server the messages that you send to a specific person at any time, which means that the technology communicates and communicates with people you should not know, with whom you communicate.
User behavior can affect the effectiveness of the technology. If someone has access to the user's phone, they can see all messages and also send messages with that person's name.
It is recommended to use a security code with communication applications (such as WhatsApp), which is now available in most communication applications.
Despite these shortcomings, this type of encryption remains the most popular and widely used, but as we all know, there is no such thing as complete security on the Internet.