Apple has recently released an update to its iMessage encryption, introducing post-quantum protections that the company claims to be the most significant security upgrade in the history of the messaging app. In a blog post, Apple announced the arrival of PQ3, a new encryption protocol that aims to enhance the security of iMessage. While iMessage has offered end-to-end encryption since its launch in 2011, Apple acknowledges that its encryption hasn’t always been as secure as it should be. With this latest update, Apple assures users that their messages will now be more secure than ever before.
The new encryption protocol, PQ3, is designed to provide unparalleled security for iPhone conversations. It offers compromise-resilient encryption and extensive defenses against highly sophisticated quantum attacks. Apple claims that PQ3 is the first messaging protocol to achieve what they call “Level 3 security,” surpassing the protections provided by other widely deployed messaging apps. According to Apple, PQ3 has the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world.
To demonstrate the superiority of iMessage’s security, Apple has provided a diagram comparing it to other messengers, including the popular privacy app Signal. The diagram clearly shows iMessage outranking other messengers in terms of security.
While the concept of “post-quantum” protections may seem amusing since quantum computers don’t currently exist, scientists are confident that they will eventually become a reality. Quantum computers have the potential to break current public-key encryption algorithms, which protect much of the internet. There is speculation that quantum-related attacks are already happening, where hackers collect encrypted data with the intention of decrypting it using a quantum machine in the future.
Apple’s new protocol, fueled by the Kyber algorithm developed by researchers associated with the National Institute for Technology and Standards (NIST), aims to protect against these quantum-related attacks. Although not all of NIST’s post-quantum algorithms have been deemed secure, they are generally considered more secure than current public-key systems.
Apple is not the only company implementing post-quantum encryption. Google has also been working on similar standards to protect Chrome users. Other notable companies have also committed to developing similar protections in their products and platforms.
Security experts have praised Apple’s iMessage update, with Matthew Green, a cryptography professor at John Hopkins University, describing PQ3 as “very good” and an improvement over Apple’s previous messenger defenses. Green emphasizes that while quantum computers may still be years away and key compromise is rare, the overkill in security sends a message that should be heard by non-technical users as well.
In conclusion, Apple’s update to iMessage encryption with post-quantum protections marks a significant advancement in the security of the messaging app. With the introduction of PQ3, Apple aims to provide unparalleled security for iPhone conversations, protecting against potential quantum-related attacks in the future. While quantum computers may not be a reality yet, Apple’s proactive approach to security demonstrates its commitment to user privacy and data protection.