Incorporating RCS messaging for Android on iPhone can compromise my security?

Because there was no single way to implement it.

Each carrier wanted to do it their way.

Google stepped in and implemented their version of RCS in Android and became the defacto standard.

Apple was in no hurry to implement it, they had plenty of time for the carrier situation to work itself out.

I was to placate android users who has to send and receive crappy pictures and videos via SMS but the EU played a big part in this. Since the EU's the decision on proprietary chargers are outlawed. The replaceable batteries are going to make a come back with this deal with the EU and easier right to repairability. Rest assured it was the Android market and people that started the uproar and the EU forcefully pushed apples hand in the movement to the right direction.

Here-I-Am wrote:

I think paranoia is the most likely explanation. The most threatening of parties can likely get around any encryption.

I’ve cited cases. Everyone can and variously will make different assessments of their risks, and many of us have different risks. Inferring much, you seem to believe you have few or no risks. I do hope that works out for you.

Hello I would like to tell everyone here as an IT specialist SMS messaging is not insecure. It goes from phone to phone through the tower. It is not stored in the cell phone tower. The only way people can steal an SMS is by getting into your phone. RCS iMessage messaging is not more secure, in fact, all of your messages are stored online in the cloud where the government can read saying or hackers the only difference is SMS doesn’t provide high-quality photos because of the low kilobytes. It can transfer your photos and videos, which is why people have switched to WhatsApp, RCS messaging and iMessage messaging.

vasile50 wrote:

Hello I would like to tell everyone here as an IT specialist SMS messaging is not insecure. It goes from phone to phone through the tower. It is not stored in the cell phone tower. The only way people can steal an SMS is by getting into your phone. RCS iMessage messaging is not more secure, in fact, all of your messages are stored online in the cloud where the government can read saying or hackers the only difference is SMS doesn’t provide high-quality photos because of the low kilobytes. It can transfer your photos and videos, which is why people have switched to WhatsApp, RCS messaging and iMessage messaging.

Being an" IT specialist" doesn't mean you are an SMS expert or a security expert. SMS is vulnerable to a number of different types of attacks, including SIM swapping and SIM cloning scams, and man-in-the-middle attacks. It is not secure because it is not encrypted, and there is no way to verify the sender. It's especially problematic if used for MFA. And, yes, SMS messages are stored on servers. Cell towers are, by the way, not servers. They are structures that cellular antennas are attached to.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

Actually, I was a contractor for AT&T shortly after divestiture and worked on network provisioning, so I am intimately familiar with SS7 and how it works, and its limitations.

That is exactly why I was hoping you'd stop by!

Psalmboy wrote:

I agree, as user of both platforms, I believe this will benefit IOS more than Android, as it is more secured to send messages to everyone in your phonebook

I’m unaware of a statement around whether the Apple RCS implementation will be encrypted.

RCS iMessage messaging does not exist. So it is not more or less insecure than anything. If Apple adopted an open standard and incorporated encryption it would be safe, but they don't want to because it hurts their business.

Teben wrote:

RCS iMessage messaging does not exist. So it is not more or less insecure than anything. If Apple adopted an open standard and incorporated encryption it would be safe, but they don't want to because it hurts their business.

iMessages are encrypted. If your theory that adding an open standard (you know, like they are doing with RCS) would hurt their business were true (I don't think it is), then of course Apple shouldn't do it. They are a for profit company. They have an obligation to their shareholders not to hurt their business. You are certainly free to think capitalism is awful but, until such time as it goes away, companies will protect their profits.

Ecosystem lock. Incorporating it gets rid of one of the barriers parents with iPhone's have when considering purchasing an android phone for their kid over an iPhone, as well as makes it easier for iPhone users to switch to android as iMessages is one of the big advantages of owning an iPhone. With a feature similar to iMessages on all devices, for all devices, people are more likely to considering switching

Fosset wrote:

Ecosystem lock. Incorporating it gets rid of one of the barriers parents with iPhone's have when considering purchasing an android phone for their kid over an iPhone, as well as makes it easier for iPhone users to switch to android as iMessages is one of the big advantages of owning an iPhone. With a feature similar to iMessages on all devices, for all devices, people are more likely to considering switching

You seem to be new to this thread; it would be helpful if you read the rest of the thread. For every complex problem there is a simple solution, and it’s wrong. And your suggestion falls into the wrong category.

Thank you Luke Morrison for an interesting analysis.

One other issue is that some countries have objected to RCS end-to-end encryption as a standard, because it would prevent governments from spying on its citizens. Of course, that horse has already left the barn with whatsApp, FB messenger, Signal and Telegram. And a few others.

I don’t think it was ever stated that he was an expert in security or messaging . We who read it understand it was stated for validity. I am curious your statement “it’s especially problematic if used for MFA “ how so if you don’t mind explaining?

Because iMessage is the only reason a lot of people stick with iPhone over Android. Apple has admitted this publicly. RCS is just as good as iMessage. There is no noticeable difference. I use both as I have Apple and Android devices and one is not better than the other.

I understand that the original post is old, but there is activity on the thread from others from only a few days ago, so I didn't think there was anything wrong with responding. I wasn't trying to second-guess anyone's responses; I'm just genuinely curious as to what motivated the original question. But if I broke some sort of guideline for the discussion board then I apologize. I intended no harm.