Google announced the expansion of its support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in its Gmail email service to include mobile devices. Thus, Workspace users can now read and send encrypted emails directly through the application on Android and iOS systems for the first time.
This new feature comes within the framework of what is known as client-side encryption, which means that the process of encrypting data takes place on the user’s device itself before sending it over the Internet, and not through the company’s servers, with the aim of providing a higher level of privacy to users.
This feature was previously only available on computers before the latest update. Google has fully integrated it into the Gmail application, without the need to download additional applications or use separate mail gateways to handle encrypted messages.
The company asserts that users can send encrypted messages to any destination, regardless of which email service provider you use. If the recipient uses Gmail, the message will arrive in regular mail. If he uses another service, he can read and reply to the message via a secure web interface without having to install any additional software.
The feature is currently available to users, but it requires subscribing to the Enterprise Plus plan with the addition of Assured Controls or Assured Controls Plus, which is a package aimed primarily at institutions and the government sector.
System administrators must also enable support for Android and iOS devices via the encryption management interface in the console before it is available to users.
To activate encryption in a specific message, the user must press the lock icon located within the message compose window, then choose “Additional encryption” before writing the message, providing a higher level of protection for sensitive data. (aitnews)
