iMessage quantum security arrives with iOS 17.4 - 9to5Mac
iMessage quantum security arrives with iOS 17.4 - 9to5Mac
iMessage quantum security is launching for iPhone with iOS 17.4, the biggest security upgrade ever for the platform.
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The timing of this feels very odd given what happened a couple months ago with Beeper mini
Not really, the type of encryption used isn’t necessarily a barrier to interoperability.
Quantum computing is developing quickly, and is a threat to conventional encryption methods. There is a good chance we will see quantum computing break many forms of encryption used today in the near future. As such, most companies developing secure platforms are now embracing quantum-resistant encryption.
This isn’t necessarily (another) attempt to reinforce the walls around the iMessage garden, just Apple being proactive about a potential future security danger. Other messaging platforms will be doing the same, if they are not already.
Yeah and iMessage is used by shitloads of people for all kinds of sensitive stuff. A company like Apple absolutely doesn’t want to be in the headlines when the first salvo of quantum hacks start making the news. This is just them covering their ass.
There is no way they started working on this a couple months ago. It would have years of work.
The timing makes sense because Apple is already reworking their messaging software to prepare for RCS support.
They made the decision to rework Messages long before Beeper, but I'm sure that little episode gave them extra incentive to get work done faster.
I think this is one step in ongoing efforts to further enhance the security of iMessage and has nothing at all to do with random topics that the tech press happened to focus on. Contact Key Verification came out in October. Beeper Mini came out in December. One of the third-party security analyses Apple provided for this PQ3 enhancement is dated January 15. I think it's pretty clear that PQ3's development long preceded Beeper Mini.