
What’s worse is when hackers infiltrate the servers, they can easily extract the unencrypted data.Įnd-to-end encryption keeps the data encrypted even at the server. Moreover, they have the ability to hand the data to third parties like private companies and government entities. That means, the messaging service can intercept the data in their servers without the knowledge of the sender and the recipient. However, the data is not protected once it reaches the server. That means, no other third-party entities can read the data while it’s traveling from the sender to the server and from the server to the recipient. Typical messaging services encrypt their data but only during transit.

Why is end-to-end encryption important?Ĭonsider two parties communicating via a messaging application. No one else can read the data including hackers, governments, and even the server where the data passes. What is End-to-End Encryption?Įnd-to-end encryption, as the name implies, is a type of encryption method that protects data such that only two ends can read it: the sender and the recipient. Hence, only the entity that holds the key can read the data.

To decrypt the data, one needs the algorithm and the right key.

The unscrambling process is known as decryption.Īn encryption algorithm uses an encryption key to scramble the data. The data is then unscrambled once it reaches its destination which makes it readable again.

Anyone from cyber-criminals to state agents can intercept your private data and collect personal information.Įncryption turns your plain data into a scrambled form so that it is impossible for any entities online to understand it except the target recipient. Without protection, you have no control over who can access the data packet carrying your messages, voice mails, and emails. Every time you send a message to someone, a data packet containing that private data goes into the jungle that is the Internet.
