RCS Update Adds End-To-End Encryption, Google And Apple Confirm Support

One of the downsides of RCS messaging for a while was a lack of support for end-to-end encryption but, now, the GSMA has announced that the latest update to RCS will add the long-awaited security layer, and both Google and Apple will support it.

Starting with RCS Universal Profile 3.0, the GSMA is officially supporting end-to-end encryption via RCS messaging. This will be based on the “Messaging Layer Security” (MLS) protocol. The updated specs “define how to apply MLS within the context of RCS.” This will include support for using E2EE across different RCS clients and providers.

The GSMA explains:

Most notably, the new specifications define how to apply MLS within the context of RCS. These procedures ensure that messages and other content such as files remain confidential and secure as they travel between clients. That means that RCS will be the first large-scale messaging service to support interoperable E2EE between client implementations from different providers. Together with other unique security features such as SIM-based authentication, E2EE will provide RCS users with the highest level of privacy and security for stronger protection from scams, fraud and other security and privacy threats. 

This comes after another major boon to RCS adoption, as Apple finally integrated support for RCS messaging into iOS last year. It was teased around that time that the GSMA, and Google, were working to bring encryption to the RCS standard.

In a statement to our sister site 9to5Mac, Apple says that it is “pleased to have helped lead” the effort to bring E2EE to the Universal Profile and says that updates to iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS are forthcoming.

End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology that iMessage has supported since the beginning, and now we are pleased to have helped lead a cross industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA. We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.

Beyond that, Google is also going to support this updated standard. In a statement to The Verge, Google reiterates that it has supported E2EE in Messages “for years” – Google was first added in 2020 – and says that it will “work as quickly as possible” to implement this updated specification. Presumably, this will also make it possible for Google Messages to support E2EE with other RCS apps on Android, waning in numbers as those may be.

We’ve always been committed to providing a secure messaging experience, and Google Messages users have had end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messaging for years. We’re excited to have this updated specification from GSMA and work as quickly as possible with the mobile ecosystem to implement and extend this important user protection to cross-platform RCS messaging.

To be clear, these updates are not available yet, but the required standard update is ready.