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

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

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'm curious: Why would you think that RCS is going to compromise your security? Isn't iMessage already using 100% unencrypted messaging protocols (SMS and MMS) when communicating with Android devices? I mean, RCS can't be any less encrypted than an entirely unencrypted protocol like SMS and MMS, can it?

If you're concerned about it, you could always just use iMessage to communicate only with other Apple devices, and then use something else (like Signal or Whatsapp) to communicate with Android users.

wakawaka234 wrote:

I'm curious: Why would you think that RCS is going to compromise your security? Isn't iMessage already using 100% unencrypted messaging protocols (SMS and MMS) when communicating with Android devices? I mean, RCS can't be any less encrypted than an entirely unencrypted protocol like SMS and MMS, can it?

If you're concerned about it, you could always just use iMessage to communicate only with other Apple devices, and then use something else (like Signal or Whatsapp) to communicate with Android users.

You're responding to a post that is six months old. And the topic has been discussed in great detail in this thread by a lot of very knowledgeable people. Have you read the rest of the thread? Or just the first post?

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.

wakawaka234 wrote:

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.

No, you didn't violate any norms. It's just that the original poster seems to have moved on. They may see this and respond to you but they may not. New folks often miss the date on the original post in a thread that's still active (so do long-time members sometimes!). I'm sorry if it came off a bit curt. Definitely continue the conversation with the folks who still seem to be engaged.

Considering that when Google flipped the switch on RCS ads in India, they had to turn it off.

Every phone in the country got flooded with 1500 spam messages.

why I would want any ads at all in my messaging service is a mystery.

https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/1/23150243/google-rcs-ads-india-spam-verified-business

Saegzz wrote:

Not to mention SMS messages can be read by your cell phone carrier

Theoretically, yes. In practice, not so much. Delivered messages aren't kept on the servers. Undelivered ones only stat there for a few days. Unless you are an activist, journalist of politician (or a criminal), the risk is comparatively small. There are many other things that your carrier knows about you that they keep and sell, for example, your locations.

TabloidMonks wrote:

Gotta love AI responses.

Interestingly, though these forums have seen a huge increase in the number of people who are obviously copying their answers directly from ChatGPT, this thread doesn't seem to have any of those. If anyone in this thread is using AI, they're being reasonably subtle about it.

All in all, this thread has been a fairly interesting (and civil) discussion.

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.

If anything it’s more of a security risk now. SMS is old unsecure tech