Why the U.S. government is saying all citizens should use end-to-end encrypted messaging

Published

1 month ago

December 15, 2024

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Think twice before sending your next text message. Or better yet, make sure you are using an end-to-end encryption method.

Consumers regularly use different types of messaging technology from the biggest technology companies including Apple, Alphabet and Meta Platforms, including iMessage, Google Messages, WhatsApp and SMS, but the level of protection varies. Now, the U.S. government is expressing greater concern after a recent massive hack of the nation’s largest telecom companies.

Last month, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed a campaign by hackers associated with China, Salt Typhoon, that compromised AT&T and Verizon, and others, and was one of the largest hacks of U.S. infrastructure in history. Following that warning, CISA, the National Security Agency, the FBI and international partners published a joint guide to help protect Americans. One suggestion is to use end-to-end encryption, a method that makes communications more secure.

End-to-end encryption helps ensure that only the intended recipients can read your messages as they travel between your phone and another person’s phone. Secure messaging apps use end-to-end encryption to protect communications from hackers, surveillance and unauthorized access, so even messaging app providers can’t read your messages.

“All things being equal, if you have the opportunity to use a platform that’s end-to-end encrypted, you should,” said Michael Hughes, chief business officer of Duality Technologies, which allows organizations to share and analyze sensitive data using encryption.

Many consumers don’t know their options for communicating securely over messaging apps. Here are the basics.

WhatsApp, Signal among best end-to-end options

Consumers use different messaging apps for various purposes, often without giving a second thought to security. However, there are notable differences among platforms that people need to be aware of.

From a security perspective, free messaging apps like Meta’s WhatsApp and Signal — whose co-founder was one of the creators of WhatsApp — are considered the best because end-to-end encryption is built in. That makes these apps highly preferable to SMS and MMS, two older methods of messaging that don’t offer end-to-end encryption, said Trevor Horwitz, founder of TrustNet, a cybersecurity and compliance services provider.

Even platforms considered the best for end-to-end encryption have downsides. Signal is a favorite among many privacy enthusiasts because its mission emphasizes not collecting or storing sensitive information. This can be especially compelling for people who are wary of WhatsApp’s parent Facebook and its privacy practices. The downside to Signal is it’s not as widely used as WhatsApp and if your contacts aren’t on it, you can’t communicate, said Roger Grimes, an analyst at KnowBe4, a security platform provider.

There are also paid messaging apps that are end-to-end encrypted, such as Threema. It’s privacy by design and no phone number or email address is required, but it costs a few dollars, and getting your friends and family to join when there are free options that are already popular might be a challenge.

Most people will use encryption “if it’s default and they don’t have the slightest inconvenience,” Grimes said.

RCS and iMessage

Many messaging platforms now use RCS, which stands for Rich Communication Services. It’s a successor to SMS and MMS that has enhanced features and also offers the ability for end-to-end encryption, though not by default on all devices. For example, RCS messages using Google Messages are automatically upgraded to end-to-end encryption, but Apple’s implementation of RCS on iPhones is not end-to-end encrypted, Horwitz said.

For any Apple device user, the company’s proprietary iMessage app is end-to-end encrypted, but for users sending RCS messages through other text plans, such as a mobile carrier text option, end-to-end encryption isn’t offered. As Apple explains itself of sending messages through non-iMessage RCS options: “They’re not protected from a third-party reading them while they’re sent between devices.”

Additionally, not all devices are compatible with RCS and it’s not universally supported by carriers. Plus, there are compatibility issues between some iPhone and Android devices that are still being worked out, Horwitz said.

Facebook Messenger gaps in encryption

It’s even more complicated because technology companies have multiple messaging products and not every application from a particular provider supports end-to-end encryption in the same way. For example, Facebook Messenger offers end-to-end encrypted messages, but not in all cases. According to Facebook, some products don’t currently support end-to-end encryption, such as community chats for Facebook groups, chats with businesses or accounts using business messaging tools, Marketplace chats and others.

Consumers should try to dig deeper into the apps they are using to understand how end-to-end encryption works for a particular app, said Deirdre Connolly, cryptography standardization research engineer at SandboxAQ, an AI applications developer. This information is often available in the support or privacy section of a provider’s website. But even then, it can be hard to find and decipher. “You have to go into the fine print,” Connolly said.

Google vs. Apple

Google Messages is the default messaging app on many devices running the Android operating system and many people use it to communicate, but consumers need to understand that not all messages sent or received using the app are end-to-end encrypted. The app supports end-to-end encryption when messaging other users using Google Messages over RCS, according to the company. But messages aren’t end-to-end encrypted when communicating with an iPhone user, for example. Text messages appear dark blue in the RCS state and light blue in the SMS/MMS state. Users will also see a lock symbol when end-to-end encryption is active in a conversation.

In Apple’s case, communications between two iMessage users are end-to-end encrypted, but iMessage is an Apple-specific platform. That means, at present, communications between iMessage users and Android device users aren’t end-to-end encrypted. A green message bubble instead of a blue one indicates the message was sent using MMS/SMS instead of iMessage.

In fact, a Department of Justice antitrust case against Apple harps on the failure to offer end-to-end encryption outside its iOS messaging app as a monopoly concern.

Protocols are being developed to allow end-to-end encryption between different communication platforms using RCS, but that’s still a work in progress. “Work with key industry stakeholders is progressing well and we look forward to updating the market in the coming months,” said a spokesperson for GSMA, an industry organization spearheading this effort.

Phone settings and ongoing risk of hacks

One thing people should do is check the settings on their phones. Many consumers have older phones and those who don’t have auto updates enabled may miss critical security updates, which could include messaging apps that allow for end-for-end encryption, said Chris Henderson, senior director of threat operations at Huntress, a cybersecurity company. Also, with a new phone, settings on transferred apps might not migrate. If you have enabled end-to-end encryption for apps on your prior phone, it’s also a good idea to check that the settings are enabled on the new phone as well, Henderson said.

End-to-end encryption is not foolproof because hackers can intercept users’ communications in other ways, such as if the device itself is compromised, Horwitz said. For security purposes, it’s also important to keep your devices healthy by installing all software updates, avoiding sketchy downloads, and performing periodic reboots.

Even so, using end-to-end encryption is a good practice, when available. “Threat actors go where the masses go,” said Kory Daniels, global CISO for Trustwave, a cybersecurity and managed security services provider. “If the masses are still using unencrypted communication methods, [bad actors] will continue to exploit the opportunity until users begin to evolve their digital behaviors.”

Technology

Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban, but Trump might offer lifeline

Published

5 hours ago

January 17, 2025

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Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban, but Trump might offer lifeline

Jaap Arriens | Nurphoto | Getty Images

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the law requiring China-based ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok by Sunday or face an effective ban of the popular social video app in the U.S.

ByteDance has so far refused to sell TikTok, meaning many U.S. users could lose access to the app this weekend. The app may still work for those who already have TikTok on their phones, although ByteDance has also threatened to shut the app down.

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration, upholding the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which President Joe Biden signed in April.

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the Supreme Court’s opinion said. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”

Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch wrote concurrences.

TikTok’s fate in the U.S. now lies in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who originally favored a TikTok ban during his first administration, but has since flip-flopped on the matter. In December, Trump asked the Supreme Court to pause the law’s implementation and allow his administration “the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case.”

In a post on his social media app Truth Social, Trump wrote that the decision was expected “and everyone must respect it.”

“My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!” Trump wrote.

Trump began to speak more favorably of TikTok after he met in February with billionaire Republican megadonor Jeff Yass. Yass is a major ByteDance investor who also owns a stake in the owner of Truth Social.

Trump will be inaugurated Monday, one day after the TikTok deadline for a sale. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is one of several tech leaders expected to be in attendance, seated on the dais.

In a video posted on TikTok, Chew thanked Trump “for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available” in the U.S. He said use of TikTok is a First Amendment right, adding that over 7 million American businesses use it to make money and find customers.

“Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to ensure our platform thrives as your online home for limitless creativity and discovery as well as a source of inspiration and joy for years to come,” he said.

It's pretty clear Trump likes TikTok and is going to save it, says LightShed's Rich Greenfield

The nation’s highest court said in the opinion that while “data collection and analysis is a common practice in this digital age,” the sheer size of TikTok and its “susceptibility to foreign adversary control, together with the vast swaths of sensitive data the platform collects” poses a national security concern.

Under the terms of the law, third-party internet service providers such as Apple and Google will be penalized for supporting a ByteDance-owned TikTok after the Jan. 19 deadline.

If service providers and app store owners comply, consumers will be unable to install the necessary updates that make the app functional.

Representatives of TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Users look for alternatives

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated Biden’s support for the law in a statement, saying “TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership or other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law.”

“Given the sheer fact of timing, this Administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next Administration, which takes office on Monday,” Pierre said.

Attorney General Merrick Garland and Lisa Monaco, his deputy, said in a release that the decision “enables the Justice Department to prevent the Chinese government from weaponizing TikTok to undermine America’s national security.”

Kate Ruane, the director of the Center for Democracy and Technology nonprofit, criticized the ruling, saying in a statement that it “harms the free expression of hundreds of millions of TikTok users in this country and around the world.”

In December, members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, urging the executives to begin preparing to comply with the law.

Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, speaks to reporters outside the office of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) at the Russell Senate Office Building on March 14, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images

On Jan. 10, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments from lawyers representing TikTok, content creators and the U.S. government. TikTok’s lead lawyer, Noel Francisco, argued that the law violates the First Amendment rights of the app’s 170 million American users. U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued that the app’s alleged ties to the Chinese government pose a national security threat.

Many TikTok creators have been telling their fans to find them on competing social platforms such as Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, CNBC reported. Additionally, Instagram leaders scheduled meetings after the Jan. 10 Supreme Court hearing to direct workers to prepare for a wave of users if the court upholds the law.

Chinese social media app and TikTok look-alike RedNote rose to the top of Apple’s app store Monday, indicating that TikTok’s millions of users were seeking alternatives.

The Chinese government also weighed a contingency plan that would have X owner Elon Musk acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations as part of several options intended to keep the app from its effective ban in the U.S., Bloomberg News reported Monday.

Should ByteDance decide to sell TikTok to a U.S. company or group of investors, potential buyers may have to pay between $40 billion and $50 billion, according to an estimate by CFRA Research Senior Vice President Angelo Zino.

WATCH: SCOTUS hears TikTok ban case

TikTok ban's fate is now in the Supreme Court's hands

Technology

Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd to return as CEO

Published

6 hours ago

January 17, 2025

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Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd to return as CEO

Whitney Wolfe Herd speaks onstage in Dana Point, California.

Joe Scarnici | Getty Images Entertainment

Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd will return to the company as CEO, a little more than a year after she stepped down from the role, the company announced Friday.

The company’s current CEO Lidiane Jones has resigned for “personal reasons,” Bumble said. Jones previously served as the CEO of Salesforce’s cloud-based messaging platform Slack. She will continue to helm Bumble until Wolfe Herd takes over in mid-March.

“I am deeply grateful for the transformative work Lidiane has led during such a pivotal time for Bumble, and her leadership has been instrumental in building a strong foundation for our future,” Wolfe Herd said in a statement.

Bumble is a dating app that encourages women to make the first move. Wolfe Herd founded the company in 2014 in an effort to foster a safer online dating community. Bumble went public through a successful initial public offering in 2021, but its market cap has tumbled from its debut of $7.7 billion to around $847 million.

The company said Friday that it expects to report total revenue and Bumble App revenue above the midpoint of its provided outlook ranges for its fourth quarter, and adjusted EBITDA within the disclosed outlook range.

Shares of the company popped 6% in premarket trading on Friday.

In addition to the CEO transition, Bumble said Ann Mather, who serves as a lead director at the company, will become chair of the board of directors.

“We are fortunate to have a passionate and engaged founder in Whitney to drive Bumble’s vision as the Company accelerates the execution of its strategy,” Mather said in a statement.

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Technology

Bitcoin gains as Trump reportedly plans crypto executive order

Published

6 hours ago

January 17, 2025

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Bitcoin gains as Trump reportedly plans crypto executive order

Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Bitcoin rejoined the crypto rally on Friday amid reports that President-elect Donald Trump could release an executive order making crypto a national priority as soon as day 1 of his new term.

The price of the flagship cryptocurrency was last higher by more than 2% at $103,174.90, according to Coin Metrics. The broader crypto market, as measured by the CoinDesk 20 index, was up another 1%, after a 4% increase Thursday.

Shares of exchange operators Coinbase and Robinhood advanced about 5% each. Trading activity in small cap cryptocurrencies benefits trading platforms. Appetite for smaller cap, higher risk coins has grown ahead of Trump’s inauguration, with litecoin surging 26% in the past two days.

The moves follow a Bloomberg report late Thursday that Trump could create the crypto advisory council he previously promised, giving the industry a voice within his administration. A bitcoin stockpile is part of discussions about a possible executive order that would cover several areas of crypto policy, the New York Times reported the same day.

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Bitcoin trades above $100,000 ahead of Trump’s inauguration

Coins and crypto projects outside of bitcoin arguably stand to gain more from clear and supportive policy and regulation as they’ve been more of a target of SEC lawsuits and alleged banking discrimination under the Biden administration. Some investors say bitcoin could see a rocket ship rally, however, if a national stockpile or reserve is established.

Bitcoin has been trading closely with stocks so far this year. It’s been in consolidation mode since late December, when Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell sounded an inflation alarm that subsided this week after two cool December inflation reports. Bitcoin ETFs have seen more than $1 billion in inflows in the past two days.

Investors expect any announcements from the incoming administration next week to send bitcoin higher – potentially to a new record. Heightened expectations come after warnings from Wall Street this month that although having a pro-crypto Congress and White House in 2025 is sure to be supportive for innovation in the industry and asset class, it could take a while before the market feels the impact.

“The new administration and a new SEC chairman opens the door for new opportunity in cryptocurrency innovation,” JPMorgan analyst Kenneth Worthington said in a note this week. However, he added, “we don’t see a next wave of cryptocurrency [exchange-traded product] launches as being meaningful for the crypto ecosystem given much smaller market capitalization of other tokens and far lower investor interest.”

Bitcoin’s record is $108,327.01, from Dec. 17. It’s up 9% in 2025.