On Thursday, Meta revealed that it is testing end-to-end encryption for specific chats in its Messenger app. To enable customers to back up end-to-end encrypted chats, the tech giant is exploring secure storage for Messenger. “We’re also starting a test of automatic end-to-end encrypted chat threads in Messenger and are expanding other features,” the company said on its official website.
“We’re testing secure storage to back up these messages in case you lose your phone or want to restore your message history on a new compatible device. As with end-to-end encrypted chats, the ‘secure storage means we will not have access to your messages unless you choose to report them to us,’ the website says.
Users’ end-to-end encrypted chat history in Messenger will be protected by secure storage by default, but they will have a variety of alternatives to restore messages if users wish to do so. There will be two end-to-end encrypted methods to access these backups: generate a PIN or a code, which the user will have to save. Users can also choose to recover their chats using third-party devices.
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The company will begin testing Secure Storage this week on Android and iOS, but the feature has not yet been made available for desktop versions. According to the website, some of the new features that Meta is scheduled to start testing are:
1. Test the ability to unsend messages, reply to Facebook stories, and provide other ways to access end-to-end encrypted messages and calls.
2. A new security feature, Code Verify, is an open source web browser extension that would help the user confirm the effectiveness of their code and also let them know if their code has been tampered with.
3. Although disappearing mode would be removed, disappearing messages would still be available in Messenger.
4. Meta will also begin testing end-to-end encrypted messages and calls on Instagram.
Users in the test group will receive notifications and permissions before they start testing these features in their apps. “We will continue to provide updates as we move toward the global rollout of default end-to-end encryption for personal messages and calls in 2023,” the company’s website says.
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