Apple has released a new update that advances user security, including a new way for iMessage users to confirm that nobody is eavesdropping on their messages.
According to the company, the new iMessage Contact Key Verification will let people who “face extraordinary digital threats,” such as politicians, activists, or journalists, make sure that their conversations aren’t being monitored or hijacked.
For the option to work, both parties will need to enable it. By enabling the option, they’ll also be notified when:
The users will also be able to compare contact keys in additional ways, such as an in-person meeting or a secure call, to ensure that they’re conversing with each other without the interference of an unknown third party.
Apple noted that the company isn’t new to creating secure communication channels, as all of its devices and services already use encryption and protection, ranging from verifying that the software you downloaded is legitimate to PGP encryption for e-mail conversations.
Apple’s Previous Issues and Criticism
Apple already acknowledged that iMessage has been targeted by spies before and that many of them had no good intentions.
Even though iMessage had end-to-end encryption, the service had several weak spots, such as zero-day security holes that had the platform’s most sensitive users looking for alternatives with better security, like Signal or WhatsApp.
State-level spyware has been used to target journalists’ phones in the past, potentially with the intent to read their messages.
Some critics, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, have pointed out that iCloud Backup might include all messages you send and receive, depending on the settings you or the person you are messaging have.
iCloud Backups weren’t fully end-to-end encrypted until now, meaning that Apple could access your messages if need be. Apple already took on the government once when a judge ordered the company to comply with an FBI demand to help unlock a phone.
The Cupertino-based company is addressing the iCloud Backup issue by releasing Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, which includes end-to-end encryption for those backups.
Even though it’s not completely clear if iMessage Contact Key Verification can help if advanced spyware takes over your phone, it can give a sense of comfort to those who wish to use iMessage for their most sensitive conversations.
Users targeted by mercenary spyware can also use Apple’s recently introduced ‘Lockdown Mode.’ With that said, Apple is continuously updating its iMessage app, and the company can argue that the best way to message your friends is by using an Apple device.
By improving it over time instead of adopting Rich Communication Services (RCS) as suggested by Google, Apple is distancing its iOS from Android. Many critics refer to it as part of Apple’s lock-in strategy after Tim Cook said that the company likely wouldn’t be moving on to RCS-based messaging.
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