The GSM Association (GSMA) has officially announced the encryption support to the end (E2EE) to provide messages sent via the Protocol of Rich Communication Services (RCS), bringing the necessary security protection to cross messages that are divided between Android and iOS platforms.
To this end, new GSMA specifications for RCS include E2Ee based on message security (MLS) through what is called RCS Universal Profile 3.0.
“New technical characteristics determine how to apply MLS in the context of RCS”, Tom Van Pelt, GSMA technical director, – Note. “These procedures ensure that messages and other content, such as files, remain confidential and safe when traveling between customers.”
It also means that RCS will become the first “major messaging service”, which in the near future has support for E2E interaction between different customer implementations of different providers.
It is worth noting that your own Google RCS implementation used in Android messages provides conversations using the signal protocol to eliminate the lack of built -in E2EE protection. Given this, the encryption guarantees are currently limited to messages that are exchanged through the app rather than those exchanged iOS users or other RCS customers on Android.
Development occurs almost six months after GSMA – Note It worked on the introduction of encryption by the end (E2EE) for the safety of messages sent between Android and iOS ecosystems. This step has occurred after Apple’s decision to stop RCS support in your own message with iOS 18.
In July 2023. Google disclosed that it intends to add MLS support to its messaging and open source specification.
“RCS continues to support a number of joint messaging features between iOS and Android users such as group messages, the ability to share the media with high resolution and see reading and text enrollment,” said Van Pelt.
Speaking to the comments, Google said: “We have always sought to provide a safe messaging experience, and Google reports that users have used RCS (E2EE) messages for years. We are glad that this updated GSMA specification and worked as soon as possible with a mobile ecosystem for the sale and expansion of this important protection for users for cross RCS RCS.”
