What is end-to-end encryption?

About End-to-end encryption (E2EE)

• Encryption is a way of protecting data from unauthorised access or tampering.
• It works by transforming the data into a secret code that only the intended recipient can decipher. This comes in useful for various cases, such as securing online communications, storing sensitive information, and verifying digital identities.
• There are two main types of encryption:
  •  Symmetric: It uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt the data. In symmetric encryption, the key used to encrypt some information is also the key required to decrypt it.
  • Asymmetric: It uses a pair of keys: one public and one private. The public key can be shared with anyone, but the private key must be kept secret.
• The term encryption is generally used when referring to the privacy of stored data, while end-to-end encryption protects data as it’s transferred between a location – which is crucial wherever there’s a rapid exchange of information.
• In an E2EE-enabled app, only the person on each end – the sender and receiver – can read any exchanged messages.
• This is because messages get encrypted on your device before being sent and only are decrypted when they reach your intended recipient.

Issues with End-to-end encryption

• Some potent malware can also ‘snoop’ on your messages by infiltrating your device via other means – an SMS and reading them before they are encrypted.
• The company that installs E2E encryption on its products can install a backdoor or an exception that allows the company to surmount the encryption and access the messages.

Q1) What is the Chameleon Trojan?

It is a malware that has the ability to disable biometric authentication methods, including fingerprint and face unlock, to sneakily access sensitive information.

Source: What is end-to-end encryption? How does it secure information?

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