In recent years, people have been more aware of the hidden costs of the convenience we get from using the Internet. From search engine’s shady data mining practices to social media networks tracking and selling our activity to other entities, it’s clear that we should all be vigilant when communicating online, especially if it involves providing personal information. Experts and government agencies recommend the use of end-to-end encryption to secure the data of individuals and organizations.
But what is end-to-end encryption? How does it work? How does it differ from other forms of data protection? We will all find out in this article.
Defining End-to-End Encryption or E2EE
Encryption is the process of scrambling human-readable data (for example, a plaintext email) into unreadable ciphertext that only authorized parties can only decode using the right cryptographic key.
End-to-end encryption is the term used for data that is encrypted at every stage of its journey from one device to another. “End-to-end” refers to the beginning of the data’s journey (in the case of email, this is the sender’s device) and where it ends its journey (the recipient’s device).
End-to-end encryption is a method of secure communication that prevents any third parties from accessing the contents of your message while it’s transferred from one device to another or while it is “at rest” on a server. When you use E2EE to send an email or message to someone, no one else can see the contents of your message — not your network administrator, not your internet service provider (ISP), not hackers, not the government, and not even the company (e.g., Proton Mail) that facilitates your communication. This is because only the recipient has the key to decrypt the encrypted data.
How does End-to-End Encryption work?
End-to-end encryption is considered asymmetric encryption, also referred to as public-key cryptography. Asymmetric encryption encrypts and decrypts data using two cryptographic keys: public and private keys. The public key is used to encrypt the data and the private key to decrypt. As the name suggests, the private key is designed to remain private so only the targeted recipient would be able to decipher the data.
Here are some the common use cases and applications of end-to-end encryption:
Secure communications
Messaging apps such as Whatsapp, Telegram, or Signal use end-to-end encryption to ensure private communication between their users. The same can be said about email communications.
Data storage
Various data storage devices incorporate encryption to ensure the utmost security of stored data. Usually, when we talk about encryption on a device level, we talk about encryption at rest, which means that the data is encrypted on the device and not in transit.
Password management
Password managers such as NordPass employ end-to-end encryption to ensure the security of all the passwords you store in the vault. At NordPass, we use zero-knowledge encryption, ensuring that only the user can access their vault.
Advantages of end-to-end encryption
- Ensures your data is secure from hacks: Ensures your data is secure from hacks: With end to end encryption, you are the only one who has the private key to unlock your data. It doesn’t matter if the server is breached; your data is safe.
- Protects your privacy: When you use providers like Google and Microsoft, your data is decrypted on their servers. This means they can read it. And if they can access your data, so can hackers.
- Protects admins: Admins aren’t honey pots. They don’t control data access, so they can’t be leveraged as a single point of vulnerability.
The National Security Agency (NSA) recently issued guidelines for using collaboration services. The NSA’s number one recommendation is that collaboration services employ e2ee. The NSA notes that by following the guidelines it defines, users can reduce their risk exposure and become harder targets for bad actors.
Can end-to-end encryption be hacked?
Unfortunately, everything, including end-to-end encryption, can be hacked. Security is a chain that is only as strong as the weakest link. Given that data is most vulnerable when stored on a server, hackers’ techniques are focused on gaining access to servers. It is just a matter of time.
However, the great thing about end-to-end encryption is that even though it can be hacked, it would take hundreds if not thousands of years to do so. Instead of dedicating centuries’ worth of resources, hackers prefer to steal encryption keys or intercept data before encryption or after decryption. When practitioners use end-to-end encryption however, the data is always encrypted on the server. Even if a hacker were to access it, all they would see is jibberish.
Final Thoughts
In addition to the applications mentioned earlier, there are a growing number of freely-available E2EE tools. Apple’s iMessage and Google’s Duo come bundled with iOS and Android operating systems, and more privacy- and security-conscious software continues to roll out.
Let’s reiterate that end-to-end encryption isn’t a magical barrier against all forms of cyberattack. With relatively little effort, however, you can actively use it to massively reduce the risk you expose yourself to online. Alongside Tor, VPNs, and cryptocurrencies, E2EE messengers can be a valuable addition to your digital privacy arsenal.
