What is End-to-End Encryption?

What is End-to-End Encryption?

End-to-end Encryption (E2EE) is a method of encrypting data as it is transmitted over a network from one endpoint to another. The Encryption is done on the sender's device, and the decryption is done on the recipient's device.

This means that the data is protected from being intercepted or tampered with during transmission. Only the sender and the intended recipient have the keys needed to decrypt the data.

E2EE is different from other types of network encryption, such as SSL/TLS, in that the Encryption is applied only to the specific communication between the sender and the recipient and is not applied to the entire network traffic.

This makes E2EE particularly useful for sensitive communications, such as messaging apps, email, and voice and video calls, where the privacy of the communication is a high priority.

Examples of E2EE solutions include:

  • Signal, WhatsApp, and iMessage messaging apps.
  • ProtonMail and Tutanota email services.
  • Zoom and Facetime video conferencing apps.

It's important to note that E2EE is only as secure as the strength of the encryption algorithm used and the security of the key management process.

It also assumes that the endpoint devices are secure and don't protect against malicious insiders or malware on the endpoint devices.

Learn more about:

Runtime Encryption® Platform

Encryption as a service

Database Encryption: Simplified Key Management Across Global Databases