Google would have encrypted messages in group chats, what does it mean

Google Messages. (photo: Xiaomiaddicts)

Google is working on the encryption of your group chats Messages appa feature that has been present in two-party conversations for two years.

Those from Mountain View have many applications running. Some of them are very successful, such as gmail, Youtube, Drive either keep to name a few. Unfortunately, not all of them are like that and the firm has realized to the point of eliminating some of them.

But there is the case of the curious movement of Google with the presentation of another encrypted messaging application. The truth is that it is the Messages app, which can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.

This application helps to see all the SMS performed, but it has enhanced features that will help put you in a position similar to others like Messenger either WhatsApp for instance. These features have to do with the improved quality of video and photos, sending and receiving messages through WiFI, group chat, reactions to messages, the double check that says when a message has been seen, among others.

And the thing does not end here because as mentioned in the first lines of this article, you will also have a security enhancement that should not be missing in this type of applications. This is end-to-end encryption in group chats, essential for the peace of mind of users as it encrypts the messages to prevent someone from stealing them after a hack.

What would message encryption look like in group chats

End-to-end encryption came to individual Messages conversations in late 2020, as Google completed the rollout of enriched messaging RCS (Rich Communication Services).

In May, the company confirmed that encryption would come later this year to groups RCS of Messages, which in recent days have begun to show in some cases the indication that it is in evidence.

Specifically, a user Reddit has shared several screenshots of a group chat with participants of the messaging applications of Google Y Samsung. In it, a notification appeared that the sent message was encrypted.

Google Messages.  (photo: Reddit/Composition/Jose Arana)
Google Messages. (photo: Reddit/Composition/Jose Arana)

How end-to-end encryption works

When sending end-to-end encrypted messages with the Messages app, all chats (including their texts, files, and media) are encrypted so that data travels between devices.

Encryption turns data into scrambled text: unreadable text that can only be decrypted with a secret key. The secret key is a number that has these features:

– It is created on the device and on the device with which one exchanges messages. It only exists on those two devices.

– They are not shared with other devices or people, not even with Google.

– A new key is generated for each message.

– It is deleted from the sender’s device when the encrypted message is created and it is deleted from the receiver’s device when the message is decrypted.

Google encrypted messages. (photo: Xataka)

Neither the Message delivery server nor any person or third party who can access the message data and content sent between devices will not be able to read the end-to-end encrypted messages because they do not have the key.

Every end-to-end encrypted conversation has a unique verification code. To verify that the messages are end-to-end encrypted, both oneself and the contact(s) (in the case of groups) must have the same code.

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