GSMA Confirms End-to-End Encryption for RCS Messaging
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messaging is moving closer to implementation, as the GSMA, the organization overseeing the standard, has confirmed its readiness.
However, users won’t see this feature on their iPhones or Android devices immediately. That said, Apple has officially committed to integrating E2EE into RCS messaging.
In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple expressed its support, stating that it was “pleased to have helped lead a cross-industry effort” to bring end-to-end encryption to the GSMA’s RCS Universal Profile. The company confirmed plans to include this security upgrade in future updates across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS.
Rich Communication Services (RCS) enhances messaging by enabling high-quality media sharing and features like read receipts. While messages from Android users still appear in green on iPhones, typing indicators are now visible.
Google first introduced RCS in 2019, and Apple followed suit with iOS 18 last year. Google already provides end-to-end encryption for RCS messages exchanged between Android users via Google Messages. However, encryption for RCS chats between iPhones and Android devices currently only secures messages during transit, leaving them vulnerable to interception.
Last September, the GSMA hinted at plans for E2EE between iOS and Android but noted it would take time to implement. That milestone has now been reached, with Tom Van Pelt, GSMA’s Technical Director, announcing new RCS specifications featuring E2EE based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol.
“These measures ensure that messages and shared content, such as files, remain secure and private as they are transmitted between devices,” Van Pelt stated. “This makes RCS the first major messaging service to support interoperable end-to-end encryption across different providers.”
He further emphasized that, alongside features like SIM-based authentication, E2EE would offer RCS users stronger protection against scams, fraud, and security threats.
Google, speaking to The Verge, welcomed the development, stating its eagerness to collaborate with the mobile industry to implement this critical security enhancement for cross-platform RCS messaging.
This announcement follows warnings from the FBI urging Americans to use encrypted messaging services, particularly after the Salt Typhoon cyberattack, which compromised multiple telecom companies in the U.S.
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